In the labyrinth of life, we often hear tales of luck—a mysterious, serendipitous breeze we all hope will drift our way. Yet, what if I told you that luck isn’t just a stroke of chance but something you can actively create? Yes, luck can be engineered, and here’s how I’ve learned to summon it through deliberate actions and decisions.
Luck Isn’t Just Found, It’s Built
The concept that resonates deeply with me is this: the more I know, the better I prepare, the more I try, the luckier I become. Expanding my knowledge and pushing beyond the boundaries of my comfort zone has transformed my life from passively encountering good fortune to actively creating it.
A Lesson from Forgetting Car Keys
Consider the time I traveled between Okinawa and Tokyo. Having left my car key in Tokyo, I stood in a parking lot in Naha, facing hours of potential delay. Luckily, I had previously considered such a mishap and left a backup key in my office. Through a network of friends, including one who lent me a car, I resolved what could have been a day-long ordeal in just three hours. This wasn’t mere luck; it was luck I had prepared for.
Crisis Turns Opportunity in Business
In the summer of 2021, my business faced a financial crunch so severe that meeting payroll seemed impossible. By inventing and pre-selling an “imaginary product,” not only did I manage to cover payroll, but I also created a new profitable product. This crisis-turned-opportunity was no accident—it was luck crafted from creativity and bold action.
Discovering New Paths
My biggest gambles involved moving to entirely new countries, with the most dramatic being our move to Okinawa. What was meant to be a long vacation turned into a life-altering stage when I found out about my wife’s pregnancy amidst financial instability. This challenge propelled me to launch a business based on my passion for drawing, a decision that fundamentally shaped my career.
Engineering Luck: My Strategy
- Continuous Learning: Knowledge is a catalyst for opportunity. By constantly absorbing new information, I prepare myself to seize or create opportunities that might elude others.
- Staying Informed but Focused: While it’s essential to stay updated, avoiding the distraction of every new trend is crucial. Recognizing the value of new tools without being sidetracked by each one allows me to remain focused on my goals.
- Asking “How Can I…?”: This proactive question directs my energy towards finding solutions and transforming ideas into actions.
- Taking Decisive Action: As Jeff Bezos noted, stress comes from inaction, not hard work. By taking steps towards my goals, I alleviate anxiety and pave new paths.
Luck Can Be Designed
My experiences have taught me that luck is not a random wind but a dynamic force created by courage, action, and stepping into the unknown. Whether it was preparing for lost car keys, navigating a financial crisis, or making life-changing decisions, each step I took built the ‘luck’ I experienced.
We aren’t merely at the mercy of fate. We can shape our destinies and turn the tides in our favor. So, next time you find yourself in need of luck, remember this: luck is often the result of a series of actions you’ve taken. Don’t just wait for luck—create it.
Here’s to more learning, more action, and more ‘engineered luck’ in our lives!
