How To Be Lucky (Happy Fathers Day!)
Every Sunday I send out something to think about, a question to ponder and something to try to make your life a little more pleasant. The idea is to inspire and encourage positive change. Readers share their progress so we can all benefit from the learnings.
THINK
“The only good luck many great men ever had was being born with the ability and determination to overcome bad luck.“
Channing Pollock
Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?
I’ve never thought of myself as a lucky or unlucky person. Some things go my way, and others don’t. Such is life.
One of my friends has an ongoing phrase “[Surname] Luck”, whenever things go against him. It’s a running joke and he plays up to it, but I think it’s nestled into his subconscious along the way.
He might be in a really strong position in something. Looking most likely to win… and then, seemingly from nowhere… some improbable thing happens at the last moment that snatches away his victory.
We all laugh as he curses his misfortune… “Typical [Surname] Luck once again!“.
What about you? Are you lucky?
Anthony Pompliano (Pomp) had a wonderful view on luck that I thought was worth sharing. He said:
“Luck’s not real. It’s a psychological concept. When people say they got lucky, they didn’t. It’s probability. Probability is a mathmatical concept. Meaning the hand you got dealt, you had a low or high probability of getting that hand. It’s the same with outcomes in life. It’s all probability.”
A friend of a friend had some horrific news last year. His dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and the outcome was bleak. He was given 6 months to live. It’s everybody’s worst nightmare…
Only I thought he was lucky.
My dad got Sepsis in December 2019. He was taken straight to the Intensive Care Unit and he died within 3 weeks.
We were initially disappointed he might miss Christmas.
Then it seemed more likely he’d be in there for weeks and possibly months. His recovery could take years.
Then we were told he was in a bad way and might not make it.
Then we were recommended to ‘let him go’.
Due to the speed of his demise, I never got to thank him for everything he did for me. To tell him how much I loved him.
I had plans to pay off his mortgage, buy him a sportscar, retire him, and enjoy father-son day’s out but I left it too late, and those plans were gone. Forever.
Was I unlucky?
Some people don’t have parents, and some that do, commit unspeakable acts of violence or abuse. Some people lose their parents at a young age and barely remember them.
Was I lucky?
I get to decide and so do you.
I saw my friend’s friend as lucky and I told my friend that if his friend needed to speak to someone, I would be more than happy to do so. Thankfully, he took me up on the offer.
It was surreal. Meeting someone for the first time and speaking about something so serious and emotional. After hearing what his dad was like, how his family found out and how everyone was dealing with it, he asked me about my situation.
I told him that I envied him.
I wished that I had a single day with my dad. To tell him what he meant to me. To speak with him. To laugh with him. To do things with him. To be with him.
I felt my friend’s friend, who’s now become my friend, could benefit from hearing that.
No matter how bad our circumstances might appear, there’s always someone out there who’s worse off. Who would wish to have what you have.
It changes nothing, and yet, it changes everything.
To all the dads out there, I wish you a Happy Fathers’ Day!
And to you…
I wish that you can appreciate how lucky you are to have survived such bad luck.
Reflect and share this with someone.
ASK
If you’d like to become a luckier person, ask yourself the following:
“How can I reframe a negative experience into a positive one?”
“In what ways could others consider me lucky?”
Write down what comes to mind.
TRY
The next time you experience ‘bad luck’, find a way to reframe it into ‘good luck’. There’s someone out there who would change places with you in a heartbeat. Remind yourself of how lucky you are.
It changes nothing, and yet, it changes everything.
HIT REPLY and let me know how it went. I read and reply to every email.
Remember: Little by little, a little becomes a lot.
SHARE
Comment and share how it went for you.
SHARE your good fortune with someone. Tell them how lucky you are.
10 extra ‘Huw Points’ are up for grabs if you do so when something ‘unlucky’ happens.
Also, feel free to SHARE this on social media or with a friend, and COMMENT to let me know.
I’d like to personally thank you for your support.
