Do you believe in "luck" or is it a mindset?

[cowboyup]

Someone I know (from an in-law) seems to be a walking, talking lucky duck.

He can go buy a scratcher ticket for a dollar and come out with 5 dollars. He goes to the casino with 100. dollars and goes home with 1200.00. You get the picture.

Anyhow, I am curious to see how you guys feel about luck - or perhaps the lack thereof. Maybe you feel that one has to have a good mindset - meaning be positive, look on the bright side or if something goes wrong, do something to fix it instead of just playing the 'woe is me' card. Also, if you feel the need to surround themselves with good people...trust your gut instincts, take chances, etc.

I know that looking for the negative in things (especially if any of you are like me, a worrier) your mind swirls in wonderment of all the complexities of the world, people, and then you get caught up in your own anxiety and fearful thoughts.

I feel it is possible to turn this around, even if temporary, I suppose. It's work but well worth it. But I think you can squeeze out some positive in something negative (well, ok, most of the time)

So what are your thoughts?

 

[Jungle]

Hello cowboyup,

Being lucky is a conception that is very dependent on people's perspective.
I'd say it's a mindset, that is linked to our expectations, if someone had nothing to lose, he'd always consider himself lucky.

Example : let's say I busted my *** for a test, I just got a 70% of the score, expecting to have at least 90%. This would make me feel unlucky. Whereas some slackoff pulled off just a 50% and would still consider himself lucky, because he didn't study, yet passed.

What matters the most to me is coming prepared to whatever I have to do. Ensue what will ensue, my conscience is clear, because I took my precautions.

You have to practice your skills, and balance out the odds in your favour, that's all you can do, pure luck (as in playing head or tails) is up to god.

 

[Kiwong]

Sometimes we get lucky, but if there is hard work behind that, perhaps it is making your own luck. By fighting against adversity out of necessity can lead to unexpected lucky outcomes.

 

[theslowesthand]

I believe with gaming (i play bubble shooter), that until you're really good, luck plays a big factor in how big a score you get.

Transposing that to life then, since i'm no good at life, i'll never get a big score with it, no matter how lucky i am (as the final score is based PRIMARILY on skill, & SECONDARILY on luck). But chances are, with luck, after so many attempts, you'll get lucky ... but if you don't attempt (ie avpd) then you'll get just a few low scores, as you don't give (any) skill nor luck any chance to work their magic.

So, i do believe in luck, but the "mindset" is actually just skill (& also being willing to try harder & more times, & failing more times).

Which is why it'll likely be many more years (if ever) before i ever get a girlfriend, as my skill level with women is very low, and i never take any "chances" with them (ie i don't give luck a chance to increase my odds, on occasion). If i went out into the world (got out there, showed up), then chances are sooner or later i'll strike lucky (or just lucky enough). But i don't, so unless i drastically change my ways, it will never happen.

Now if i were to start going out to pubs/clubs, and get very drunk each time, then my chances with women would go from about 0% to maybe 2-5%, as i would then be taking many more chances with approaching them, talking to them, buying them drinks, etc. If my new odds were 2%, i have to go out ~50 times, before i get "lucky" with women (pun intended!).

 

[appleORorange]

Luck is the word used by people who clearly should not have attached something that appears beyond there prospects.

For example, i am single (and always have been), people would say i was VERY lucky if any women returned an message i sent them.

Its the word used to say you beat the "odds" of what normally should of happened.

A "very" lucky person was very good at hiding there "real" person as everyone assumed who couldnt do what he did so was "lucky".

The opposite of "lucky" would be "sure, doesn't surprise me"

 

[BlackPuma]

Not luck as in some sort of 'fate' equivalent of fortune and reward. But I do believe certain behavior and subtle conditions can sway positive things to happen.

Things like outlook, environment, who you know, and who you are play, subtle body language, subtle timing and how you make decisions play a big part in this supposed luck. All in all I think 'luck' is a inwards-outward thing rather than something that happens to someone.