20/20 had a story back in 2007 about luck. Are people really lucky? Are people unlucky? Is there any science to luck? The findings were that there is actually a difference between lucky and unlucky people. It’s all in the attitude. I have to admit I am very lucky.

It seems that lucky people are open to new opportunities. Rather than being caught in their doldrums and beaten down by society, lucky people are always looking for the next opportunity to learn, experience, have fun, or grow. Rather than dismissing crazy ideas and invitations as impossible or likely to fail, lucky people instead think, “that might be cool.”

The flip side of this lucky coin is that successful people rarely give luck any credit. When something works out, they chalk it up to experience and hard work. Who wants to be known as the guy that skates along on luck? I do.

I am okay with the fact that I am lucky. In fact, I am probably the luckiest person I know. I have great friends – a great family. I work in a great field. I get to travel when I feel like it. I find new experiences around every corner. The one caveat to all this is that I accept it all as luck as long as it is accepted that I have luck because of my attitude.

The good news there is that if you don’t think of yourself as lucky, all you have to do is work on changing that perception. Next time you find money on the ground, a good parking spot, even see a butterfly… think of how lucky you are. Little by little, if you avoid the pitfall of blaming the universe when you step in a puddle, your luck will change.

by Chris Doelle