Cultivating Luck

"It's a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get"  This was Arnold Palmer's response to the claim that he's "lucky".  Sometimes it seems some people are just lucky (or unlucky).  So, it begs the questions, can luck be cultivated, manufactured, willed, coaxed, begged?

I'll tell you a story that just happened on Saturday night at the Ceres Project's wildly successful fundraiser.  One of the fundraisers was to buy a ticket to be drawn for the "big" prize of $2500 worth of wine.  Your "ticket" was a playing card.  Our friend, Molly, won!  (Thankfully, she's my friend and I'm hoping she'll do some sharing.)  Here's how it ties in.  She manifested her win.  Here's Molly:  "I immediately started picturing it [the card]. . . . Whenever I saw anyone and we were chit-chatting, I'd picture the card.  I'd mention the card.  I think it's setting an intention . . .like it already happened. Seeing the wine coming to [me] . . . as it's happening, rather than wishing it's happening.  [Otherwise] you're stuck with wishing rather than having."  Congratulations, Molly!

Luck can be a teachable skill set.  Turns out that scientific research shows that luck can be cultivated.  One of the suggestions is to do the things that "lucky" people do.  Turns out these fortunate folks talk to strangers(1).  This comes much easier for some of us than others.  Sometimes I play a game to see if I can get the other person to smile.  Try it.  While at the checkout with your Three Twins Cardamom Ice Cream and your Casa Sanchez Thick and Crispy Tortilla Chips (the best), see if you can get a reaction out of the checker.  This will vary from store-to-store.  It seems like customer service in some stores is over-the-top.  I get questions like, "how's your morning been?", "what do you have planned for the rest of your day?" and "you on your lunchbreak?".*   And, other stores,  I won't name, have a grumpier face, like you're taking their time away their facebook page or something.  

OK, back to talking to strangers.  It doesn't need to be intimate, just "wow, what great weather today" or "can you believe these organic blueberries are on sale?" or "I really like the color of your jacket."  None of these were personal or particularly required a response, but you made a connection.  You'll be surprised how people will open up.  Do this often and you'll be surprised at what seeming "luck" can come to you.  According to the research, this is considered "lucky" behavior.  Who knew?

Peter Shallard, who calls himself the Shrink for Entrepreneurs, offers some advice.(2)  He suggests staying curious and being open to the unseen or the unknown.  He says, "Reach out, engage, send emails and more. Give yourself permission to not always begin every action with an end in mind."  Just like talking to strangers, Mr. Shallard says that people are lightning rods for lucky breaks and adds that the "the smarter and more karmically enlightened, the better".  

And, of course, being in the right place at the right time can be helpful.  But, by opening yourself up to strangers and staying curious, you may find that you've cultivated that right place and time. So, good luck to you!

(1) http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/raising_happiness/

post/talking_to_strangers_and_other_things_that_bring_luck

(2) http://www.petershallard.com/how-to-manufacture-your-own-lucky-breaks/