Feb 21, 2025
Self Improvement
Hey
I don’t believe in luck as a mystical force that randomly blesses some and ignores others.
I believe in hard work, preparation, and taking action, but also in divine guidance and ease from God. Success comes from effort, but ultimately, things align because of His will.
Some people always seem to land on their feet. They bump into the right people at the right time.
Opportunities fall into their laps. Success, wealth, and happiness appear to flow to them effortlessly.
And then there’s everyone else.
Watching from the sidelines, wondering why life doesn’t deal them the same hand.
It’s easy to believe that luck is some mystical force reserved for the chosen few.
That it’s written in the stars or locked behind doors we don’t have the key to.
But what if luck isn’t something you have to wait for? What if you could create it?
The Illusion of Luck
We only see the success of others, not the invisible web of effort, decisions, and failures behind it.
Luck, in reality, is rarely random.
It’s often the result of thousands of micro-decisions, an openness to experience, and the willingness to step into uncertainty.
Take two people standing in the same room. One strikes up a conversation with a stranger, who happens to be an investor looking for fresh ideas.
The other stands in the corner, scrolling through their phone.
A month later, the first person is starting a business.
The second is still stuck in the same routine, wondering why good things never happen to them.
It wasn’t fate. It was action.
The Science of Luck: What Makes Some People Luckier?
Psychologist Richard Wiseman spent years studying “lucky” and “unlucky” people.
His research found that lucky people have four core traits in common:
They maximize chance opportunities. Lucky people talk to more people, explore more places, and try more things.
They put themselves in positions where opportunity can find them.
They listen to their intuition. They don’t ignore gut feelings. When something feels right, they follow through.
They expect good things to happen. Optimism is a self-fulfilling prophecy. People who believe in luck create their own confidence, which leads to better outcomes.
They turn bad luck into good. Lucky people reframe failures as learning experiences. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, they pivot and keep moving.
With these traits in mind, let’s break down how you can start engineering your own luck.
1. Expand Your Luck Surface Area
Jason Roberts coined the term “Luck Surface Area”—the idea that the more you put yourself out there, the more luck you create.
Luck is a numbers game.
The more people you meet, the more ideas you explore, the more skills you develop, the more chances you have to stumble into something life-changing.
How to Expand Your Luck Surface Area
Be open to new experiences. Try different environments, visit new places, and introduce variety into your daily life. Sticking to the same routine reduces the probability of encountering fresh opportunities.
Talk to strangers with curiosity. Every person you meet is a potential doorway to new opportunities, perspectives, and insights. Approach conversations with a genuine interest in others.
Publish and share your thoughts. Whether it’s blogging, posting videos, or simply sharing insights on social media, putting your ideas out into the world creates more inbound opportunities.
Learn broadly and deeply. Develop expertise in your field while maintaining curiosity for adjacent topics. Cross-disciplinary knowledge often leads to breakthrough ideas.
2. Take More Risks. But Smart Ones
Luck favors movement. The more action you take, the more opportunities you create.
The catch? Most people wait for “perfect” conditions before they act. But perfection never arrives.
This doesn’t mean being reckless. It means strategic risk-taking, pursuing paths with high upside and limited downside.
The Balance of Risk and Reward
Take asymmetrical bets. Focus on opportunities where the potential upside is massive, but the downside is limited.
Act before you feel ready. You’ll never have all the information. If you wait for certainty, you’ll miss the window.
Embrace calculated failures. View setbacks as data. Every mistake refines your strategy and brings you closer to a breakthrough.
Experiment widely. Rather than betting everything on one path, diversify your risks. Test multiple small experiments before committing to a big decision.
3. See Setbacks as Setups
Lucky people aren’t immune to failure. They just interpret failure differently.
They don’t label events as “bad luck.” They assume every setback is setting them up for something greater.
A missed job opportunity? Maybe it freed you for something better.
A failed business? Maybe it’s the stepping stone to your next, successful venture.
How to Reframe Setbacks
Adopt a long-term perspective. What seems like a failure today may be the exact experience that leads to success tomorrow.
Ask, ‘What is this teaching me?’ Every challenge contains a lesson that will serve you later.
Cultivate resilience. The ability to bounce back faster is what differentiates lucky individuals from those who remain stuck.
4. Follow Your Curiosity Relentlessly
Curiosity is the engine of luck. The more you explore ideas, people, and possibilities, the more unexpected opportunities arise.
The Role of Curiosity in Luck Creation
Curiosity leads to exploration. People who follow their curiosity often stumble upon unexpected insights and innovations.
It increases adaptability. The more curious you are, the more flexible your thinking becomes, making it easier to pivot when needed.
It builds luck-attracting habits. A lifelong curiosity-driven learning approach expands your ability to recognize lucky breaks.
5. Build an Identity That Attracts Luck
The highest level of luck isn’t found. It finds you.
When you become known for something, your work, your skills, your character.
Opportunities start chasing you. You create magnetic luck, where people seek you out because of who you are.
How to Become a Magnet for Luck
Master something rare and valuable. Develop expertise that makes you stand out.
Be visible. People can’t send opportunities your way if they don’t know what you do.
Consistently deliver value. Help others, share insights, and contribute to communities. The more you give, the more serendipitous returns you’ll receive.
The Truth About Luck
Luck isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you cultivate.
The person who seems to be in the right place at the right time is often the one who puts themselves in more places, more often, for a longer time.
It’s not magic. It’s math.
You don’t need a four-leaf clover. You just need to move. Act. Create. Take risks. Meet people. Explore more. Share more. Do more.
And if you could build a system that collects, connects, and compounds your luck,
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And soon, the world will start calling you lucky.
But you’ll know better.
You made your own luck.
Thank you for Reading
Osama Aka Ols
