On Creating Luck

“Luck is when talent meets opportunity”

There have been many times in my life when I was presented with opportunities that have changed my trajectory. The opportunities materialized from nowhere and were presented to me. I could capitalize on these opportunities because I was prepared for them. I was lucky, yes, but I was prepared to capitalize on the opportunity presented.

There have also been other times when I have been presented with opportunities for which I was not prepared. These have usually resulted in failure or heartburn, like my interview with a Big 3 consulting firm or the head of an Investment bank. What has frustrated me in these situations is that I have fallen in my own eyes. There was nobody else to blame than me for not being adequately prepared for the opportunity. The thing about preparation is that it cannot happen overnight. It is a continuous process. Once cannot start preparing when presented with an opportunity. The time is too short, and the skill required is too high. The preparation is a slow, hard, and long process. It is like chiseling a rock to make a statue. One has to be prepared always. When the opportunity arrives, one should be adequately prepared and ready to capitalize on it.

Then, there were times when I was frustrated that while I was prepared, the opportunity never presented itself. Looking back at my life, this usually happens when I have prepared in a cocoon. Opportunities have to be created. They don’t usually arrive due to manifestation. The creation happens by meeting people and making them aware of your skills. They happen when one is aware of what is happening around. Opportunities get created when you are constantly looking out for them. They happen when others know of your desires and preparation.

In my case, there has also been an element of courage. Most trajectory-changing opportunities appear to be above one’s potential. It requires self-belief and confidence in one’s preparation. It requires putting oneself out there and believing that one can crack it. The internal dialogue should be that one can do it rather than doubt. The self-belief comes from preparation. If one believes their preparation is above the level required for the opportunity, one usually comes out triumphant. If the level of preparation is equal to or below that of the opportunity, the imposter syndrome kicks in, which can be smelled during the interview.

So, the formula for progress is to keep preparing and honing your craft by chasing excellence and, at the same time, keep putting yourself out there to meet people, learn about opportunities, and create them.

Create your own luck - prepare hard and chase opportunities that terrify you.