George Bernard Shaw wrote, “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and, if they can’t find them, make them.”
That’s the attitude I live by. I’ve talked to so many people who blame their poor decisions, faults, failures, and shortcomings on bad luck. Or other people. Or timing. Or the economy. Or the govern- ment. Or their boss. Or their customers. Or their spouse. Or anything else that could save them from having to take responsibility for their whole life, the wins and the losses. But luck doesn’t exist. Luck is just another way of talking about opportunities and how well or how poorly we take advantage of them.
From the time I opened my first lemonade stand at five years old, I’ve found that the harder and smarter I work, the luckier I am. When I get lazy or don’t pay attention to what I’m doing, “bad luck” has a way of sneaking up on me. Isn’t that strange? It’s almost like I’m making my own luck. Well, guess what? I am. And, more importantly, so are you. When you come up against a limitation and put your brain and back into the hard work of pushing through it, you create a better outcome for your- self. You may not get the thing you want in that moment, but you are building strength, resolve, and discipline that will empower you to push through even greater obstacles next time. That is a tremendous reward in and of itself. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve failed a lot throughout my life and career. I’ve won a lot too. And every one of those wins and losses has led me to where I am today.
Where are your wins and losses taking you? Are you heading there on purpose or are you being led through your own life by fear and uncertainty?