Early in my career I worked for Arcon Construction. The owner, Dean Johnson, told me how he’d built the highway/heavy construction company from nothing to a multi-million-dollar business. Knowing little about entrepreneurship, I commented, “You sure were lucky.” Dean was offended and responded, “You know what luck is?  Luck is sweat applied to an opportunity.” I have never forgotten that lesson.

Lucky people stand out; maybe it’s charisma, personality or just an abundance of energy, but others recognize it. Some people are luckier than others, but most of us have to make our own luck.

How do you make luck?

Look at what you bring to the table with fresh eyes; what are your strengths? Are you using them? What can you do to make them more powerful? (Check out the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 and take the assessment to learn more.)

Be visible! Look for interesting, exciting, involved people; go to events and interact with them. Pay attention to what intrigues and excites you.

Timing can be everything. Dean Johnson started Arcon at the dawn of the interstate highway system. His timing was perfect. Big things might not happen every day, but there’s always one day that matters. It’s the day you knock on a door that wouldn’t budge before and suddenly swings wide.

If you don’t ask, no one knows what you want. Lucky people speak up and ask questions. They know that every day is a process, another step in the right direction. The more effort you put into your career, relationships and community, the luckier you get.

Preparation leads to better luck; the connection between spending hours at your craft and doing things you love isn’t always apparent. But if you have laid the groundwork, when that one door opens, you are ready. Now you are not merely lucky, you are good!

The road is easier together,

Linda Laitala, President
Raven Performance Group