what lucky people get right
Recently I came upon a study by Richard Wiseman that looked at luck from an interesting perspective.
From Live Now By Chad Kouri
It surveyed people to find which of them considered themselves lucky—or unlucky. He then gave both the “lucky” and the “unlucky” a newspaper and asked them to count how many photographs were inside.
The unlucky people took two minutes to count all the photographs, whereas the lucky ones determined the number in a few seconds.
How!? Why?! Because the lucky people found a message on the second page that read, “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper.”
Why didn’t the unlucky people see it? Because they were focused on counting all the photographs that they missed the message.
Wiseman said:
“Unlucky people miss chance opportunities because they are too focused on looking for something else. They go to parties intent on finding their perfect partner, and so miss opportunities to make good friends. They look through the newspaper determined to find certain job advertisements and, as a result, miss other types of jobs. Lucky people are more relaxed and open, and therefore see what is there, rather than just what they are looking for.”
It reminds me of this selective attention test. Have you seen it? Try it out!
It’s funny that a link is made from being open to feeling lucky. Or not. I guess open, unattached folk see themselves as lucky. Because… why not?!
We all know how to take on this attitude. We’ve done it. Had glimpses. Like when we’re on holidays and we say yes to heading to the beach instead of the museum. We have felt the thrill of living a day, or an hour, without expectation …and seen how it leads to wonderful, unexpected things.
How to build this? How to foster it? How to tap into it? How to go into things with more expansive, niaive vision? I’m not sure. I’m someone who doesn’t see the gorilla in the Youtube thing. I do do this thing, tho, after meditation. I slump forward and surrender to the day. I kind of say, let’s see what comes my way. Gorillas or otherwise.
You got any (better) tricks?
Hmmmm, so it’s about being open yourself to the possibilities in life..interesting stuff Sarah.
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I’m certainly a believer when it comes to creating your own luck, especially if your in the habit of looking for opportunities not obstacles.
It becomes much more interesting if you can treat each day like a mini adventure with an open curiosity. Circumstances, people you meet, missing the bus.. will it better my day? is there something I can learn from them/it? Whatever?
Easy said than done of course… but great to play around with!
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That’s really interesting.
It’s all a bit like that law of attraction stuff, isnt it? Believe you are lucky, and you will be. Believe the universe will bless you, and it will.
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Wow…that’s me thru-and-thru, way too focussed on the task.
Good one – thanx
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I’ve heard of that photo trick before … it certainly IS an interesting connection; luck and openness. I’m not sure about that, although now that I say that it does occur to me I find myself in luckier in life and business when I simply believe that possibilities and success abound for me.
I wouldn’t say I rely purely on the law of attraction approach to get my name out there but I do think it helps!
I guess that’s openness, isn’t it
?
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Wow! Love this, thank you
I definitely believe that we create out own luck. But a year ago, I didn’t really feel this way.
I moved to China with my partner to teach English, and a month later I was fired. Then I got really sick, and was just miserable, feeling sorry for myself, playing the victim, feeling unlucky.
But I reached a point where I was sick of being sick, sick of playing the victim, and I decided to do whatever I could to be happy and make my own luck.
Since then, I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been, I started a blog about my journey, and now I’m running my own e-magazine aimed at inspiring and empowering women. I have passion, purpose, and joy in my life every day, and I created it all just because of that one decision to let go of that victim mentality. I’m the hero of my story now.
In fact, now I look back at being fired as one of the best things that ever happened to me. I feel lucky to be given the freedom to find what I was really passionate about.
Next week, after a year in China, I’m going home to Australia, and I will be able to run the emagazine full-time. I’m going home a changed woman, a woman who knows she created her own life and her own luck.
It really is all about how you choose to see the world
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July 14th, 2011 at 9:33 am
Good on you Jen. I relate. And I love your glasses. And safe trip home.
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That video is amazing! Really does make one think. Note to self: work on being more go with the flow and open to possibilities.
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i’m a believer in creating your own luck but i’m going through a bit of a frustrating patch at the moment. i’m pretty good at rolling with it and i’m trying to see the bright side to every mishap…i guess i think that i’m lucky because as far as it goes it’s all rather “first world problems”.
i just wanted to comment because it made me thing about my partners approach to the issues (which are visa problems) which is to be very optomistic about every lead that we take. i think that this is a really healthy way of generating luck and making the best of the options that pop up…however after a series of disappointments i’m getting to the point where i’d rather be realistic (pessimistic) and not get my hopes up. any thoughts?
on another note, sarah i’m a long time reader and first time poster. i really enjoy the blog, as an expat it makes me feel linked in and brightens my day. always inspirational.
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July 14th, 2011 at 9:33 am
Thanks Ren…and welcome!
x
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I’ve seen the gorilla
. And I think, you get luckier the more open you are to the possibilities that life has to offer.
Cheers to this wonderful post.
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Hi there, I recently discovered your website and really love it! Do you have an archive page somewhere so I can explore older posts? I’ve looked all over, I may need glasses though
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July 13th, 2011 at 9:21 pm
Yes! I too have looked and looked for an archive!
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July 14th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Ah, yes. I’ve kind of put them in categories along the top…and by topics on the right. I’ve been unsure whether those archive things are used…
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July 14th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
please include an archive!
July 18th, 2011 at 10:53 am
Yes, please, it would help me as I frequently revisit your site and cannot find the articles I am searching for!
[...] morning I read Sarah Wilson’s latest post on the difference between people who consider themselves “lucky” versus “unlucky”. Seems [...]
Love these concepts really got me thinking positively today
I have just done the bad breakup thing and have since denied myself day to day happiness by subconsciously thinking that no matter what, I am not as truly happy as when I was with blah-blah-head – but that in itself cuts the chance to explore a different kind of happiness… in the moment.
So thanks, nice reminder to snap out of it and be open to the unexpected goodness. Like the $50 I found in my old bag!
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Being open to myriad possibilities is one way of looking at luck, but the quote from the philosopher Seneca (1st century AD)
provides another perspective on luck:
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
– Seneca
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July 15th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
So right Terry! Noticing opportunities is useless unless you know your purpose and so find opportunities you are ready for and can run with…
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[...] What lucky persons get right by Sarah Wilson. [...]
[...] I sometimes write about luckiness and Sarah Wilson has discovered that luck is linked with being open to new opportunities, relaxed, moving with the flow! Damn [...]
What’s you’re talking about is your Reticular Activation System.
It’s where you get what you’re focussed on. Your eyes are only “activated” for certain types of information, and so filter out other “unimportant stuff” What you’ve made me realise about “lucky people” is that they are activated for lucky opportunities, whereas “unlucky people” are not. You are right, there are exactly the same amount of lucky opportunities available to us all.
Lucky people have belief systems that support this RAS system noticing these things beliefs like:
I am lucky.
Opportunities come my way.
I am always in the right place at the right time.
Things can be easy.
People are helpful.
Stuff like that… If you want to become more lucky, I would suggest affirming those kinds of beliefs to yourself each day.
Thanks for the ideas Sarah!
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That was an interesting little video. And yes, I got the correct number of passes and I did see the gorilla, but only because I was keeping note of the people in black in order to keep their passing out of my count. Probably just indicates what an anal-retentive that I am.
Not sure about making my own luck, but I have certainly learned to be a bit more accepting in more recent times, including a realisation that I am where I am now meant to be and that came in part because of some of the cr*p I had to go through to get here.
Speaking of luck, did you know that some researchers with obviously too much time on their hands, managed to represent ‘Murphy’s Law’ as a mathematical formula? True!
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Awesome post. I’ve recently been hanging out with a friend who is a “negative nancy” per se; he believes that he is cursed with some bad luck, and while I see his point, his attitude is totally toxic! I hope he snaps out of it and realizes that a lot more of it is in his mind more than anything. I certainly am not a happy-go-lucky type of a gal either, but I do my best to keep perspective, you know?
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There seem to be two pathways in life, with the first being driven by the Doer or Ego of having to make it all happen and the second pathway of being the Experiencer or Observer whereby one is part of a grander scheme and unites with the arrangements for prosperity to occurr from the unseen world !
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[...] lot o’ awesome, I LOVE everything she writes, but I particularly love this feature – http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2011/07/what-lucky-people-get-right/#more-2392 – I think of myself as a very lucky person, but sometimes when the funk hits, you can really [...]
It’s funny Sarah, I watched the video and thought, “What was the point of that? Of COURSE I saw it!!” So to read that someone may not have was very interesting indeed. I have often wished I could concentrate or focus better on one thing but maybe this lack of focus helps me see lots of options.
I’ve always considered myself fortunate (lucky?) in that opportunities tend to head my way. My bf said to me once that I was a great advocate for the law of attraction. I think mostly it is because I am an open, honest person and also quite friendly – lots of people know me and know about what I can do/what I am interested in/what my personal circumstances are, so that when an opportunity comes up, they often think of me and pass it my way. Lucky, or just great at accidental networking? Either way, I’m pretty happy.
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[...] Sarah Wilson talks about what lucky people get right. [...]
Hi Sarah
I wouldnt normally comment eventhough i love reading your blog but couldnt resist this time:
-connect with the consciousess in the universe
-appreciate everyone and everything in your life
-see things not how you necessarily want them to be but know and accept that things always turn out as the way they are meant too
-and i garentee your life will unfold as it should and your luck and happieness will be bountiful
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[...] Wilson tells us what lucky people get right. (Basically, just be less narrow-minded and anal about everything and you’re good to [...]
[...] What Lucky People Get Right @Sarah Wilson [...]
[...] lot o’ awesome, I LOVE everything she writes, but I particularly love this feature – http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2011/07/what-lucky-people-get-right/#more-2392 – I think of myself as a very lucky person, but sometimes when the funk hits, you can really [...]
[...] this article about lucky people vs. unlucky people. [...]