Luck...that unseen boon which brings one an unplanned advantage, at times undeservedly.
Generally , seen as a divine gift or blessings of Roman Goddess - 'Fortuna', it boons you an unfair edge or an out of turn advantage that makes a difference to the ultimate outcome, in your favour or in favour of that other 'lucky' person. Napoleon Bonaparte, the Mauverick Emperor, whilst selecting Generals, always asked - "Yes, he may be competent, but is he lucky ?". And he always favoured the one who was lucky !!! Now the question is : how did Napolean know who was lucky ?.....the answer is rather simple : he was lucky !!.
A certain element of supernaturality shrouds the three characteristics of 'Luck' : *Unpredictability *Undetermined (purpose) *Uncontrollability
These three elements in a certain favourable 'synchronicity' (term borrowed from Carl Yung) 'conspire universally' (term borrowed from Jose Paulo) to positively influence an outcome. The coincidental passerby who may coincidentally be the recipient of that outcome, becomes Lucky !
Luck is the divine answer to that silently spoken prayer to God and is most sought after favour and also in absentia, the most easily blamed factor for failure.
This debate circles around the fatalistic extremities of LUCK. The debate is : Is luck a matter of divine choice in your favour or in favour of any other person (in the RED Corner) OR Is luck a positive outcome of competent efforts based on arithmetical probability of success in a given set of chances (in the BLUE CORNER )???
The RED CORNER view:
# When people succeed, they tend to honour hard work. Somehow, loser's explain winners through the medium of LUCK. But unless there is a stroke of luck, you cannot win.
# Tons of inventions and discoveries in the world are outcomes of lucky mistakes. 'Viagra' is an outcome of luck of the new research scientist who was reworking old research done for heart medication.
# Luck is referenced only for outcomes after events that they find are - fortunate or unfortunate. Before that it is called efforts. Winner calls it good luck, loser's calls it hard luck !
# Without luck, efforts are only efforts. Positive results are actual outcomes of luck
The BLUE CORNER view:
# Luck accepts the invitation given only by 'Efforts'. If efforts don't invite, luck does not visit. Hard work invites good-luck.
# COLUMBUS discovered Americas they say by luck on his path to discover India !. True that but had he not been a navigator who put in efforts to set his sails out in turbulent times, invested time to understand complex sailing calculations etc, could luck have helped him ? (My late father always humoured that Columbus' step brother who was a better sailor, stayed at home and did not discover even the neighbourhood green grocer's shop )
# People who work hard, make their own success. They are ready, when opportunity knocks. Luck disguises itself in the cloak of success for those who work hard.
# You have to be in the ballgame to get your lucky breaks. If you quit early, the lucky breaks will come and go away - wasted !
The times are uncertain. Predictability is nearly impossible. It is an outcome only of guessing, at best , only educated guessing. There is no way for anyone to know outcomes with reasonable finality, in advance.
I believe that we can all create our own unplanned lucky events. Let me share some helpful tips for you to becoming 'Lucky' :
* Develop a set of helpful positive beliefs that helps initiate constructive action. It is only when you believe in your success that your chances of success (luck) multiplies many folds.
* Those who develop desire to opt for alternate routes have greater chances of success when conventional choices fail after reasonable trials. Luck partners unique choices.
* Opt to walk on unconventional path when conventional roads lead to old destinations only. More luck is in supply on the unconventional roads. No great deed, private or public, has ever been undertaken in a bliss of certainty (Leon Wieseltier)
* Re-examine all your beliefs that hold you from putting in your best work. Luck is a bum-chum of best work. Avoid sabotaging your own success by not giving your best!!!
* Setting goals to meet your expressed Vision is important. But be ever so ready for unplanned events. Luck is an unplanned date !!!
* probability of you becoming lucky directly varies with your 'Total Engagement' with the process and its outcome
When a new child is born, people visit the new born baby and wish it to be healthy. Some wish it wisdom, some prosperity, some intelligence. On such occasions, I wish the child to be lucky !!! But don't misunderstand, by that I mean "...may the child learn to forever put its best efforts and thus frequently be successful