Born Lucky or Lucky To Be Born

The other day the winner of the lottery was announced and a friend of mine was frustrated because he has played the lottery for years and has never won more than a couple of dollars. He said that some people have all the luck and that he had to be the unluckiest person in the world. I told him I did not believe in luck because any “luck” I had was due to immense preparation and lots of intestinal fortitude and that I thought everyone who seems lucky has done the same thing. For instance with the lottery scenario, how many lottery tickets did they buy in order to win. My friend buys one ticket a week, but most of the people who have won the lottery buy dozens a week. They, in essence, manufacture their luck. My friend just waved me off and said that I was a pessimist who did not believe in miracles. I couldn’t disagree, because I don’t believe in miracles. In fact, I think that people who sit around waiting for their ship to come in and pray and hope and pray some more are foolish because they could have been spending that time making things happen. Like with people who meet their soulmates and then have a friend who thinks they are just going to be walking through a coffee shop one day and find the perfect person. The soulmate was found through a lot of dating apps, a lot of dates, and looking around every corner. Or people who have gotten their dream jobs. They love going to work and everything about their jobs. It wasn’t pure happenstance. I can guarantee, that person worked hard every day. They hunted for months or years to find a workplace they could see themselves in and they methodically worked their way up until they finally made it to the job or position they desired. What I’m getting at is that people are not born lucky. Some people are lucky to be born and even without the same privilege, we all have the same opportunities to reach out and get what we want. It is just going to take a lot of grit, a lot of sweat, some heartache, a little knowledge, and very little horseshoes, clovers, or heads up pennies. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.