The Luck of the Irish: How to Create Your Own Luck

Do you ever look around and wonder why everyone else is killing it but you? What gives? When will your luck change?

Luck: a force that brings good fortune or adversity.

Guess what? That force bringing you good and bad stuff doesn’t have to be left up to chance. Here’s a twist: What if you create your own luck? What if through personal growth and learning you set the stage and you aim your life in the direction you want to go?

Maybe it sounds impossible.

“Yeah, if I could change things I would.”

Let’s step out of your head for a second.

While many people attribute ‘luck’ as the means to their end, it may not entirely be the end all, be all. Sure, being in the right place at the right time helps a lot. Yes, winning the lottery is about the luckiest thing out there. But most successful people aren’t just lucky. They’ve put themselves out there. They’ve actively been seeking out change and feeding their own personal growth and learning. They’ve taken risks. They don’t just go where the wind blows them.

I’m not saying go all in. Or telling you to risk your life savings here. Let’s be reasonable. Realistic is an aspect you have to take into account when setting goals. Think S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-oriented).

Yet, there are various perspectives and actions you can take to flip your luck. In other words, you take control. You make your life what you want it to be. Ultimately, the only person in charge of your life is you. So quit blaming anyone else or comparing yourself to others, and let’s push forward. Let’s change your luck for the better!

Start Actively Participating in Your Life

Look back on your life up to this point. Have you actively made the choices to get you to where you are now? Or have you just passively been going through what’s expected of you and what you believe you ‘should’ be doing?

But you still aren’t happy. Maybe you’ve started to resent or blame others. Sound familiar?

It’s time to take responsibility and it’s time to take action.

For instance, you’re a single mom at home - maybe your kids have grown up - and you spend most of your days attending a workout class and then waiting on the kids’ activities, making food for your family, etc. You often think about that career you gave up or how you wanted to go back to school and complete that masters program.

Or perhaps you long to start an adventure, business, or activity of your own - something just for you. There is no better time than now. The kids are self-sufficient. If you don’t do it now, when?

It’s okay to try different things until you land on something you love. The point is to find your own happiness. Create your own luck. No more blowing in the wind.

Put Yourself in Positions to Meet New People

More connections = More opportunities.

Expand your social horizons. Take in new perspectives and ideas. Sometimes, one person or one meet and greet is all it takes to flip your luck and change your life.

Grab hold of those opportunities presented. Remember, you’re an active participant in your life. You seek out personal growth and learning. You want opportunity; you can’t expect it to just appear. You have to take action.

But… don’t forget about old friends! Go after the new, but remember your roots. Meaningful and lifelong friendships create purpose and meaning in our lives. Nurture all those relationships in your life. They mean something.

Push the Limits of Your Comfort Zone

The things that are worth it happen at the edge of your comfort zone. Getting too comfy sets you up for a life of mundane and unfulfillment. You forget what it’s like. You’re scared. You stop learning. You wonder where you’re going wrong.

Take this a step further: Doing the same thing every single day will get you the same results - and the same luck.

Getting to a certain age doesn’t mean you quit learning. Just because you aren’t in school doesn’t mean it’s over. In fact, the brain functions best with new stimuli (not making this stuff up!). And if you’ve noticed it, you feel better when you’ve made a new realization or tried something new. You feel alive.

By doing so, you again create opportunity. You drive your luck! This doesn’t mean you have to go skydiving or anything extreme. It could be as simple as asking your boss about that promotion or discussing with your spouse a transition in which you can go back to school or rejoin the workforce. What would that look like? You don’t know unless you ask. Push those boundaries!

Accept Failure & Learn From It

Failure has such a negative connotation attached to it. Yet, failure is good. It’s successfully figuring out what doesn’t work. It’s forcing you to get through something. Sure, rejection hurts. But it happens. It’s part of life. The sooner you accept that, the better it’ll be.

In the face of failure, think positive. Okay, it sucks. But what did you learn? Did you realize you’re stronger than you thought? What can you take away from it? Where can you go from here? What other ways can you tackle your problems? There’s likely a lesson to be learned, big or small. Find it.

Become Who You Want to Be

Remember, you’re in control of your reactions and responses. Yes, external factors may be out of your control. But the way you react makes all the difference.

For instance, you get fired from your job. You could let it lead you down a slippery slope of self-critique, OR, you could cry about it for a second, dust the dirt off, pick yourself up, and go after what you want. Maybe it’s the luckiest thing that ever happened to you. Maybe it’s what needed to happen for you to truly find a job or career that makes you happy.

You’ve got this. Put your best foot forward and get out there. Create your own luck, and in turn, you’ll find exactly what you’ve been craving in your life.

Related Article: Doing These 6 Things Can Save You $2,000