The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you

lost all your money.

Anonymous

To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals –
this alone is worth the struggle.
Sir William Osler

TO CHANGE YOUR LUCK

A band of young car thieves thought they'd found the perfect plan.

They set to work stealing cars in a mall parking lot on one of the

busiest days of the year. Unfortunately, their first choice was their

worst choice. They spotted a nice-looking van and began picking the

locks. In no time at all the door opened, and inside they found …

police officers, who were using the vehicle as an undercover

surveillance van!

One might say that they ran into some bad luck. (Or maybe stealing

cars was a bad decision to begin with and luck had nothing to do with

it.)

Many people DO try to manage their luck, however. So they believe in

rituals and talismans to aid in their success. According to Jeanne

Ralston ("What's Luck Go To Do With It?" Ladies Home Journal, Jan.,

1999), athletes, as a group, are often superstitious. Home-run king

Hank Aaron wore the same shower shoes for twenty years because he

thought they brought him luck, and basketball great Michael Jordan

felt more confident with his University of North Carolina basketball

shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform.

Some of us go for four leaf clovers, a superstition from the Druids of

medieval Europe who believed that the plant imparted to those who

found them special powers to see invisible witches and evil spirits.

Others may carry a rabbit's foot. It was because of the great

bunny-making capabilities of rabbits that ancient Celts believed they

should be associated with luck and prosperity. Still other people

speak of knocking on wood, a custom that seems to have grown from a

belief that the noise may prevent evil spirits from hearing you

mention your good luck.

I understand that basketball player George Underwood once said this

about luck: "I have just two superstitions. One, don't call someone a

bad name if they have a loaded pistol. Two, don't call your girl

friend Tina if her name is Vivian."

Robert Collier instructs that all of us have bad luck and good luck.

But the one who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on

going - is the one who is there when the good luck comes. This person,

says Collier, is the one who is ready to receive that opportunity when

it is presented.

In other words, luck really does favor the prepared. And those who

persist and work hard. "The more I practice," said golf pro Arnold

Palmer, "the luckier I seem to get."

To change your luck, change your attitude from pessimism to optimism.

Something good really IS around the corner. Then work hard and be

ready. When that next opportunity comes, you'll be the one to seize it

a MAKE something happen. It can be your next lucky break!

Click here for SSA Blog Archives                          Click here to go Home