Luck

Today is St. Patrick’s day. A holiday that began in the 1600s.

Initially a religious celebration to commemorate Saint Patrick (who is credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland while driving out snakes and explaining the Holy Trinity with a shamrock), the holiday has evolved into an Irish celebration filled with drinking and conversation about getting lucky.

Getting lucky means different things to each of us. From winning the lottery to having a spontaneous romantic fling to getting struck by good fortune, we all have different dreams for getting lucky (like the hit song by Daft Punk).

Instead of thinking about what we get when we are lucky, we could all benefit from considering how we can increase our luck.

According to venture capitalist Paul Graham we can increase our luck by being curious. To be lucky, Paul says that we should “Try lots of things, meet lots of people, read lots of books, ask lots of questions.”

To honor Saint Patrick and follow Paul’s wisdom, let’s be curious this week.

3 ways to consider luck.

1. Luck starts with hello: While many of us think of luck as getting dealt a good hand, the real way that we get lucky often starts with saying hello. By saying hi, we open ourselves up to luck by attracting a new friend, landing a first date or making a new business connection.

2. Little risks get us out of our comfort zone: It’s easy to want luck to come to us. Sometimes that happens. More often, we get lucky because we step out of our comfort zone. When we attempt something that we are not sure that we are capable of, we plant seeds for luck. Even if we fail, the seeds that we plant by leaving our comfort zone have potential to blossom in the future.

3. Appreciation creates opportunity: Gratitude doesn’t just help us feel happier, it creates opportunity. By sharing our appreciation with others, we open the door for luck to come our way in the future.

Thanks for reading. Lets have a great week!