“Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit.” ~R.E. Shay
It turns out, luck is not so fickle. Luck can be learned. Richard Wiseman, a British psychologist and author of the new book “The Luck Factor”, conducted a ten year experiment on the subject of luck. He enlisted 400 people, ages 18 to 84, and asked if they considered themselves consistently lucky or consistently unlucky.
In one of his experiments he asked the lucky and unlucky people to take a newspaper and see how long it took to count the number of photographs in all of the pages. The unlucky people took an average of two minutes to perform the task, the lucky people had the answer within seconds.
The reason is because the second page contained a printed ad large enough to cover half the page with the message: “ Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper.“ The lucky people found the ad but the unlucky people went right past it.
Half-way through the newspaper there was another printed ad in bold type that stated “Stop counting. Tell the experimenter you have seen this and win $300.00.“ The lucky people spotted it, but the unlucky people were so busy looking for photographs they didn’t see the opportunity to win money.
Wiseman believes unlucky people are more tense than lucky people and their anxiety prevents them from noticing the unexpected. So focused are they on meeting a new mate at a party, they fail to make a new business connection or meet new friends. They might search the classified ads for a particular job and not notice other openings that would suit them well.
Based on his experiments, Wiseman established four principles of luck:
1. Lucky people are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities.
2. They rely on intuition as much as reason in making decisions.
3. They create self-fulfilling prophesies with their positive expectations.
4. Lucky people have a resilient attitude that can transform bad luck into good.
In a final experiment, Wiseman “taught” volunteers how to behave like lucky people by showing them how to notice random opportunities and to listen to their “gut”. He told them to expect to be lucky.
Just one month later he was startled by the results. 80 per cent reported greater happiness, satisfaction and greater luck. One of his participants, an unlucky person with a series of failures who was accident prone, was able to pass her driver’s test after three years of trying.
According to Wiseman’s findings, if you are an unlucky person, you can increase your good fortune by practicing the following:
First, break up your daily routine by traveling a different route to familiar places and by spending time with different types of people in social situations.
Follow your instincts. If it “feels” like the right thing to do, it probably is.
Variety brings luck. The next time you get invited to a party, wear a particular color and introduce yourself to other people wearing the same color. This will increase the possibility of chance opportunities.
Finally, look at bad luck in a new light. Think of how it could be worse. One volunteer in the study arrived with his leg in a cast. Wiseman asked if he still felt lucky for falling down the stairs and breaking his leg.
The man answered “Sure. At least I didn’t break my neck.”
Good luck, and let me know how you do.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Good Mornin Maureen, I am one of the lucky people you will meet. I never had any bad luck that I did not create and I knew it when it happened. Don’t ask me where good luck comes from because I don’t care where it came from as long as I get it once in a while.
Marvelous Denny. You are very quotable. Love your last line.
I love this!
I try to explain this principal to people because some days I am Lucky and some days I am REALLY Lucky.
For years I won 90% of the Raffles that I bought tickets for after buying one with the hopes of winning $1000 to give to someone planning a party for oncology kids– I won and handed her the money at the event we were at. Everyone thought I was crazy but who would cash THAT check after telling myself if I win it she can have it for the party?
After winning a new set of golf clubs, a framed lithograph, gift baskets….. for years, now I get parking spots. Again, more like 95% of the time, I get the spot right in front of the store I am going to. It can be the busiest day of the year and I never have to drive around looking for a spot. It just randomly happens. I always look up and say “thank you” to whoever is watching over me making it happen.
Or am I Just Lucky?
Sue, I see your luck continues, or perhaps builds, since our days at Salve. All I want to know is, why are you 3000 miles away when I have to buy raffle tickets? I do believe you are contributing to your good luck, particularly now that I’ve read about Wiseman’s work. Great hearing from you. M.
I just had to comment. A while ago I was reading “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work,” and one of the chapters was titled: “Marvel at how often things go right.” I think about this all the time at work. When you stop and think about it, there are a lot of tiny, seemingly unimportant things that occur everyday and most of the time, you don’t think about them. Except when one of them doesn’t go right. Then you suddenly realize how important these small things are. So, even on “bad days” I try to remember how many little good things are still happening. And on “good days,” I think about all the extra little things that occur that just make a smooth day even smoother. I’m not sure how much this has to do with luck, but I think taking time to think about all the everyday occurrences can help one realize how “lucky” one truly is. (It sure makes me appreciative of everything my employees do for me!)
Yes Jenna, your instincts are right. Remember, “news” is what happens when something goes wrong. All the things that go “right” don’t get reported. Good for you for seeing the glass half full!
Maureen-
Well, I no longer believe in coincidence, so I must believe that “luck” is not simply random good things happening.
You once wrote that happiness is something we choose. Luck is kinda like that in a way. I do believe it is influenced by attitude. Though we all long for things that are not, we should count as blessed the things that are.
I liked the reference to following your instincts … right on. I like “quotations” (love that little feature on your post page), and your opening quote prompted me to look for some related to luck. I liked these best:
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” – Seneca
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it” – Jefferson
“I wasn’t lucky. I deserved it.” – Margaret Thatcher
“I’ve been lucky. I’ll be lucky again.” – Bette Davis
“Everything is life is luck” – an odd quote from “The Donald,” considering his ego.
Don
Like you Don, I don’t believe in coincidence anymore either. There is obviously more to it. And thanks for the additional quotes about luck!
Maureen, I’m feeling very lucky. When I went to book my flight home in late Jan. I thought about today and then went with yesterday. It was a long day with many delays but arrived safely in Syr. last night. I would be sitting in some airport for many more hours today. It’s so good to be home looking out at the beautiful trees covered in white. I guess I can appreciate the beauty as I haven’t had to deal with it all winter. Suppose to get my hair done today. That may not happen. I’ll have to wear a bag over my head. I loved Jenna’s blog. Carol
Carol, welcome home to the snowy tundra! It’s funny what we can miss if kept away from it long enough, right? I believe Jenna is a somewhat regular reader. Hopefully she will see your compliment. Thanks for checking in. Oh, and good luck with the hair-in-a-bag hairstyle.