17 Mar Happy St. Patrick’s Day – Lucky or Unlucky?

Happy St Patrick’s Day!  We love this time of year and feeling lucky as Spring is almost here! Soon, the new season will usher in warmer weather, longer days and new opportunities!  After all, Spring is a season of growth. We can’t wait for what’s in store after 2020!

When we think of Saint Patrick’s Day, we think of celebrations, parades, corn beef and cabbage, four leaf clovers, shamrocks, leprechauns, a whole lot of green, and the luck of the Irish.  We have all heard the old saying “The luck of the Irish,” so the real question is whether the Irish are luckier than people from other countries?  Do you consider yourself lucky or unlucky? Does luck follow you around?  Do others consider you a “lucky son of…”?  How much has luck affected your career development?

Well, it depends on who you ask. Ask a lucky Irishman and he will no doubt confirm the saying’s authenticity.  Ask an unlucky Irishman, however, and he will not doubt scoff at the saying and he will probably throw in a few choice bad words for good measure.  In other words, luck is the eye of the beholder.  Think about it. How often do people attribute luck to things or circumstances when they are going well, or when things just happen to work out?  The answer is too often to count.

At Integrated Staffing, we believe that luck or success (as we call it) is more about a matter of motivation, planning, inspired action, and a good amount of sweat.  Rather than wasting time seeking out a four-leaf clover for luck, here is an excellent recap from Fast Company of four characteristics that lucky people share based on research from Richard Wiseman, a professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire in England, and-lucky for us-anyone can adopt these habits and change their fortune:

1. THEY MAXIMIZE “CHANCE” OPPORTUNITIES

While lucky people often chalk up their good fortune to chance, what’s actually going on is that they’re good at creating and noticing opportunities, says Wiseman. They do this in various ways, including networking and being open to new experiences.

“Without realizing it, lucky people behave in a way that maximizes chance opportunities in life,” says Wiseman. “They talk to lots of people, attract people to them, and keep in touch with people. These actions result in a massive ‘network of luck,’ opening up a huge potential for chance opportunities.”

In contrast, unlucky people are often more introverted, preferring to spend time on their own. Unlucky people also embrace routines, sticking with the familiar and avoiding surprises.

Lucky people, however, like to keep things interesting by varying their choices. They try a new route to work, for example, or pick a different coffee shop each morning.

“Lucky people often go to considerable lengths to introduce variety into their lives,” says Wiseman.

2. THEY LISTEN TO THEIR GUT INSTINCTS

Lucky people make decisions by following their intuition. In his research, Wiseman found that 90% trusted their intuition when it came to personal relationships, and 80% believe it played a vital role in their career choices.

But they take it a step further by boosting intuitive abilities by practicing techniques such as meditation.

Lucky people often go to considerable lengths to introduce variety into their lives.

“The idea isn’t to try to develop intuitive feelings during the meditation itself,” says Wiseman. “Instead, use the time for clearing your mind of thoughts and distractions. After meditation, when your mind is quiet, your intuition will feel at its best.”

3. THEY EXPECT TO BE LUCKY

Lucky people are optimistic about the future. In Wiseman’s research, he found that people who are lucky have higher expectations from life than unlucky people. They believe that unpredictable and uncontrollable events will consistently work out for them; unlucky people believe events outside their control will always work out against them.

“Lucky people are convinced that the future is going to be fantastic, and their expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies,” says Wiseman. “These expectations exert a considerable influence over people’s thoughts and behaviors. They determine whether people try to achieve their goals and how long they persist in the face of failure.”

4. THEY FIND THE GOOD IN ANYTHING

Lucky people do experience misfortune, but they cope with it differently than unlucky people. For example, Wiseman says lucky people imagine how things could have been worse and compare their experience with a far worse scenario.

Lucky people also transform the event into something good by finding a positive aspect. They don’t dwell on the bad luck, instead they take a long-term approach to life and assuming that something better is ahead.

“Together these techniques explain their uncanny ability to cope with and often even thrive when ill fortune comes their way,” he says.

But as to the question of whether the Irish are in general luckier than people from other countries, the answer is a categorical no – sorry to burst your bubble. Don’t stockpile 4 leaf clovers or look to the Irish to see success, create your own luck!

If you are looking to create some luck with your career, give us a call at Integrated Staffing at 1-833-799-1464 as we can help you create your luck with the job opportunities we offer.

Source: Forbes |10-15-14 | 4 Habits Of Lucky People