Don't Count on 4-Leaf Clovers: 10 Ways to Make Your Own Luck The less you leave to chance the luckier you're likely to be.
By Deep Patel Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
This article originally was published on Dec. 14, 2016
Sometimes it seems like Lady Luck picks only a few people upon which to smile. Fate always seems to work in their favor, and they always land on their feet.
How do they do it? Are they really just that lucky? And is there a way of persuading the universe to favor you with the same opportunities?
There are proven ways through which you can create your own luck. These lucky people, whether they realize it or not, have probably found ways to crack the code. They have learned to put themselves in the right situations, take advantage of the right opportunities and accomplish their goals through a lot of hard work.
If you're looking to harness fate, here are 10 proven ways to make your own luck.
Hero Images | Getty ImagesBe social and improve your odds.
Talk to new people at a party. Broaden your social circle, and build your professional network. Introduce old friends to new acquaintances. One of the fastest and best ways to garner more luck is to put yourself out there and meet more people, because people bring connections and connections bring opportunity.
However, don't forget about your old friends either. Keep in touch with the people with whom you've built strong bonds -- the ones you know you can count on. Make sure you tend to those relationships, because they are powerful over the long haul.
Andy Smith | Getty ImagesImagine the stepping stones to success.
Visualizing good fortune helps you get there. For instance, the best athletes envision winning a game before it starts. If you are preparing for a job interview or a big presentation, imagine your calm demeanor and your thoughtful responses while you get ready.
If you have a goal in mind, visualize your path to success and figure out where you want to be in a month or a year from now. What does your success look like? Now work backward to where you are now. What are the steps you have to take along the way? Seeing each detail in high resolution is key.
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | Getty ImagesHelp others and find out how lucky you are.
What goes around comes around. Lucky people don't hog their prosperity, but give freely of their time and resources. They help others because it's the right thing to do.
However, as a bonus, giving reminds us of how lucky we already are. And those good deeds will very often come back to us in unexpected ways.
Matteo Colombo | Getty ImagesLeave room for randomness.
Don't let yourself get stuck in a rut. If you shy away from experiencing new things, you are bound to feel bored and stifled. Be open to new things. Be curious about the world around you.
This will give you the opportunity to explore and gain new insights; to see things from a different perspective or meet someone you wouldn't normally meet. When we put ourselves out there, we welcome chance into our lives.
Tom Merton | Getty ImagesBe on the lookout for luck.
Luck isn't always something that you stumble upon, or that randomly happens to you. Sometimes luck is something you can spot, if you allow yourself to look for it. But more often than not, luck is about learning where to find an opportunity.
You can thus create your own luck by being aware of your circumstances and surroundings. By simply noticing and acting on opportunities or listening to your hunches, you allow more luck into your life.
Caiaimage | Tom Merton | Getty ImagesTake a chance.
If you don't push yourself out of your comfort zone, you'll never know the true extent of your abilities. Take advantage of favorable circumstances and see where they take you. Allow yourself to be versatile and wear different hats.
And, most important, act when an opportunity presents itself. Too often businesses fail or we lose our shot simply because of inaction. As hockey great Wayne Gretzky once said, "You will miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
Hero Images | Getty ImagesCreate your own luck through hard work.
Psychologist Richard Wiseman has studied luck and its presence in people's lives. He found that if you think you'll be lucky, chances are you'll experience more good fortune than someone who thinks they are unlucky.
About 82 percent of lucky people are prepared to work hard and create their good luck. They also have a positive attitude and are resilient when bad things happen.
Unlucky people tend to be fatalistic and believe that no matter how hard they work, they will be unlucky. As Wiseman notes, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Caiaimage | Sam Edwards | Getty ImagesSee the positive side.
Instead of seeing the grass as being greener on the other side, take a closer look at all the positive things happening on your side of the fence. After all, if you only see downers in your life, then you will exude only negative energy.
Besides, all that hypothetical green grass you so admire may in reality be a huge task to keep up. The bottom line is: focus on the positives. Look for the silver linings even in what seems like a bad situation.
Westend61 | Getty ImagesAccept that setbacks happen.
No one is lucky all of the time. Failure happens. It's part of life. Accept that there will be moments when you'll feel down in the dumps. Realize that there will be times when you'll want to throw in the towel.
Don't let negativity set in, and don't give up. Brush the dust off, and look for a new angle to approach your problem.
nensuria | Getty ImagesStay in the present.
There are some things you can change and some you can't. Instead of getting fixated on things beyond your control, stay in the present.
Staying in the present allows you to see all the little things that you have become oblivious to. And when it truly comes down to it, luck happens in the moment. If you are too focused on your own mind and thoughts, you will never see the opportunities right in front of you.
