5 Ways to Become “Lucky”

There’s a scientific basis for luck, so technically there are ways to become lucky. Part of it is certainly due to chance, though some behaviors and outlooks can expand opportunity and the likelihood of encountering luck. In many cases, a more positive outlook and openness to new opportunities can help you get lucky.

Five ways to help get lucky include:

Seize Opportunities

It’s very difficult to encounter luck if you’re isolated from opportunity. A lucky person tends to notice a potentially fortuitous opportunity and act upon it. People who get lucky tend to be extroverted, spending more time with people and opening themselves up to interesting opportunities. If you’re open to new experiences, your luck can increase based on the mere increase in fortuitous opportunities.

Identifying opportunity may seem easier said than done, though one method is to focus on what’s working and strive to improve it. Additionally, opening yourself up more to others’ ideas and personal beliefs may help mesh ideologies and experiences for a working solution that can benefit multiple parties.

Believe in the Power of Good Fortune

On the note of seizing opportunity and seeking new ones, believing in the power of good fortune can aid immensely in becoming more extroverted. If you envision a new experience with luck on your side, you are much likelier to do the new experience.

“Luck Factor,” a book that aids in luck improvement, found that lucky people thought there was about a 90 percent chance of having a great time on their next vacation, with an 84 percent chance of accomplishing at least one of their lifetime goals. This goes to show that optimism certainly plays a role in luck.

Reinforce Positivity

People who deem themselves “unlucky” sometimes just overlook good luck on a frequent basis. For example, someone who pulls into their driveway after commuting home from work and experiences their car’s engine dying may bemoan bad luck. In reality, the engine could have failed in the middle of the commute, with oncoming traffic whizzing by.

Reflecting upon seemingly unfortunate events with a more positive hindsight can help reduce negativity and make you more aware of good fortune. In this case, although a car repair can be costly, it could have been a lot worse. Recognizing luck when it occurs will aid in recognizing it when luck arises again in the future, as will turning seemingly bad luck situations into good.

Stay Organized

A good way to miss out on opportunity is to have the biting feeling of forgetting something take over your mind. If you’re constantly fretting over whether a deadline passed during a networking event that could lead to a career opportunity, you’re missing out on potential connections.

A way to counter instances like this is to remain highly organized. By being strongly aware of your work and home life, you can focus better on the moment, which can lead to fortuitous opportunity. Organization reduces stress as well, helping you better identify opportunities.

Learn From Mistakes

Practically every successful person has faltered at one point in their lives in some regard. Humans are far from faultless robots. In many cases, the difference between successful people who find good luck and those who seemingly find nothing but bad luck can be perseverance, particularly in regard to learning from mistakes.

When evaluating past errors, ask yourself: What worked? What didn’t? In many cases, you will find areas that worked well and can be integrated into future efforts. Acquired experience and learning from this experience can increase the likelihood of success in the future, essentially increasing your luck.

Many of these methods to become luckier involve a shift from being introverted to taking risks and persevering. Organization and positivity also play lofty roles. Overall, getting lucky has more to do with personal philosophy and extroversion than many people may think.