The ignorant has only got luck whether he fails or succeeds
Published on 15-08-2024
I Got Lucky
Lucky that I was born a Muslim.
Lucky that I had wise, ethical, hard-working parents with great-paying jobs.
Lucky to afford to take risks because I had a safety net.
Lucky that I had saved some money to wander and explore.
Lucky because I had the right education.
Luck is real, and so are fate and destiny.
But luck is uncontrollable, or is it?
Well, you don’t control where you were born, where you live, or who your parents are.
You don’t control your parents’ wealth, ethics, or manners.
You don’t control the education you receive or the district you live in.
Yet, You Can CREATE Your Luck
So how do you get lucky?
You sweat and persist.
Movement is a blessing. The more momentum you generate, the harder it is to stop that momentum.
It’s your tweet that went viral, your product that users are raving about, or a hit song that takes everyone by storm.
Not necessarily your best objectively, but it is your best ROI.
It is the persistence of putting in the reps that will somehow show in a magical, unexpected way.
You become an expert, and luck will find you.
This happens in two ways:
You develop a sharp eye that spots things nobody is seeing or sees things differently.
People bring you luck so they can get lucky.
It’s like when you are a genius coder, and someone has a great idea that needs great execution. If he knows that you are good, he will come to you.
You get luckier by putting yourself out there.
Like in physics, where more surface area means more interactions, the more you try, the more chances you create to get lucky.
You do that by:
Working so hard as if you don’t want luck until luck hugs you like a mom hugging her newborn.
Following your curiosity. The more curious you are, the higher the chance you will persist, and the higher the chance you will dig and find the oil of luck.
Widening your exposure. What we work on is limited by our experience or exposure. The more exposure you have, the better ideas you will see, the better character you will have, and the more people you will meet that will change your life.
How do you widen your exposure?
You get out. You travel. You try. You create. You explore. Here is how you widen your surface luck:
Learn how to code. If you can’t code, write books and blogs, record videos and podcasts. (Credit: Naval)
Teach people.
Volunteer.
Listen before you speak.
Follow your curiosity.
Join a community.
Shadow people.
Give money to others. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Allah said, ‘O son of Adam! Spend, and I shall spend on you.”
Ask God to get lucky. “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” Quran – Verse 186 from Surah Al-Baqarah.
