Do you remember the last time you sat in a clover patch and looked for four-leaf clovers? Back when I was younger, I used to sprawl on the grass and spend hours looking through an endless sea of green trying to find one. Four-leaf clovers are considered lucky because they are rare and special. Back in the Middle Ages, some Celtic groups believed wearing a four-leaf clover helped people see fairies and ward off evil spirits.
Usually finding a four-leaf clover is a result of taking your time to look. However, sometimes luck is random. You might spot a four-leaf clover when sitting on a bench as the kids play on a playground. You weren’t really looking for it, but it was just there. However, most “luck” and good fortune we spot in others is often a result of them spending hours working toward the goal they are trying to achieve. It’s easy to say “Oh, that person got that opportunity because they are lucky” when we can’t see just how hard they worked to get to that point.
Just like finding a four-leaf clover, our odds of catching what some might say is a lucky break are directly linked to how hard we’ve worked at it.
Create your own luck
No doubt there’s something you have always wanted to try or do. Maybe it’s traveling to somewhere amazing. Maybe it’s running a 5k. Maybe it’s finally organizing the laundry room. I won’t judge. When we see someone else who has done that thing, instead of thinking how lucky they are for having that opportunity or having the time, look for how they made it possible in their busy life.
Start with that thing you’ve always wanted to do. Take the first step in researching what it doing it might require. If you always wanted to travel somewhere, your first step might be looking at the average cost of flights and hotels. Arming yourself with numbers gives you a more realistic idea of what it might take to reach your goal.
Then, the work starts. Maybe you already have a job or something you do for side income. Your dream trip might mean setting aside some of those earnings instead of doing costly things right now like going out to eat or paying for a delivery service. If your dream is important, it’s worth making a few sacrifices.
If what you want to do is something that simply requires a lot of your time, it’s up to you to start scheduling that time into your day. Chances are, you’ve already got pockets of time that you’re not using as well as you could. Be creative, sometimes the best opportunities for growth come from utilizing random moments.
I got tired of waiting for the “perfect time” to work toward my dreams
There’s a famous book called “The Four Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss that outlines the difference between achieving and wanting to achieve. Those who achieve, plan. Those who want to achieve, dream. For years I believed had to wait for the “ideal” moment before I could act on my dreams.
Then, I turned thirty. There was something about hitting that age milestone that really made me reevaluate what I wanted to do with my life and what I’d need to do to get there. Waiting for the kids to grow up would mean losing 10-15 years to start working toward my goal. So, I started making plans and finding time in my schedule to do what I felt was important. That was ten years ago, and I’ve never looked back.
Discussion question: What “lucky break” are you willing to work toward?
