You are the Cause; Luck is the Effect

"You need a bit of luck in a tournament like this."

I’m trying to think how many times I have heard that statement over the past few weeks.  Every single person that has been asked about England’s performances in the Euros has said the above statement.

Does luck really exist?  There are two ways you can look at any situation involving what might be called ‘luck’.

England were lucky not to concede against Ukraine when the ball had clearly crossed the line.

 John Terry put himself in the right place at the right time to put enough doubt in the 6^th official’s mind.

This is luck at its most basic – a perception.

People who tend to be luckier just think differently about opportunities. They also think differently about their failures.  This process can be so powerful it can even filter out opportunities staring them in the face.

Last week a salesperson called our house.  He asked for Mr. Clarkson so my wife put our 2-year-old son on the phone.  We giggled as our little lad jabbered away.  When we took the phone back off him the salesperson had hung up.  We may not have bought anyway, but now there was no chance. 

However, if that salesperson had still been on the phone, and had shown a sense of humour – I would have heard him and his sales pitch out.  You never know – I might have even bought.

He might have considered himself lucky if I had but the truth is, it would have been him making his own luck by giving it a chance. 

He probably considered himself unlucky so put the phone down.  The truth is – he was unlucky BECAUSE he put the phone down.  Its just a case of cause and effect.

You are the cause – luck is the effect.

So come on England – do the right things and the world can think you are lucky.