photo credit: Malak Chahboub
During the month of March, when one thinks about luck, it’s usually associated with St. Patrick’s Day or leprechauns. But beyond the holiday, the mischievous little St. Patrick’s Day leprechauns and four leaf clovers, there is more behind ‘luck’ than people see.
Popular belief is that luck is predestined, that a person is born either lucky or unlucky. However, this common belief might not be true. School Psychologist Jill Archibald said luck itself is very rare.
”I think ‘actual luck’ is pretty rare! It happens of course, but sometimes people are lucky because of certain chances they take or opportunities they have,” Archibald said.
This can be seen in senior Cindy Lee. Lee tends to keep a very positive mindset despite the challenges she faces in her high school life. Lee is committed to the University of Chicago for the coming fall semester, a school known for its rigor and its selectivity.
“I consider myself somewhat lucky. I feel like there have been moments in my life where I feel like luck definitely played a part whereas I feel like I worked hard for this good thing to happen,” Lee said.
Some people also tend to feel luckier due to their outlook and what they have experienced. Interpretation also changes the level of luck people tend to feel. For example, if one interprets everything in a positive way, they’ll see themselves as luckier.
”This all depends on their life experiences and how that can impact their outlook on life. People have impressions of themselves that can influence how they see themselves in the world. For example, if you have a more optimistic outlook or are a person who has ‘rose colored glasses’ you may interpret more things as lucky compared to others who tend to see things through a negative lense,” Archibald said.
Similarly, a negative mindset can cause one to become ‘unlucky’. If one views everything in their life with a negative outlook rather than a positive one, they’ll manage to convince themselves that they’re unlucky.
“Also, people see themselves as unlucky because of experiences they have had that reinforce that thought. So, if you never win the lottery, you could see that as unlucky and consider yourself as such. At the same time, if you never take the chance, you won’t have an opportunity to win,” Archibald said.
Speaking from her own experiences, Lee also said that mindset affects performance. The way someone sets themself up affects the outcome.
”I believe your mindset influences how you perform so if you have a positive mindset of yourself, you’ll perform better. With a negative mindset, you’re setting yourself up for failure because you’re already thinking you failed before even performing the action,” Lee said.
Psychologist Richard Wiseman from the Forbes magazine also accounts for one’s opportunities as a reason behind this supposed level of luckiness. He believes that ‘unlucky’ people often miss opportunities because they’re more focused on the past or negative possibilities.
“People who are able to notice opportunities and then take certain risks have a higher chance of experiencing luck due to those opportunities they take advantage of. I think that would take some preparation and then follow through,” Archibald said.
So, while luck may seem like it’s predestined, that might not always be the case. Having a positive outlook despite negative experiences could help twist one’s luck. Luck itself seems to be rare, but the way people approach experiences and opportunities can impact their level of luck. For those who feel unlucky, try to keep a positive outlook and see if your luck changes.
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