
Why Luck Matters More Than You Might Think - RachelF
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/why-luck-matters-more-than-you-might-think/476394/?single_page=true
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epalmer
> In an unexpected twist, we may even find that recognizing our luck increases
> our good fortune. Social scientists have been studying gratitude intensively
> for almost two decades, and have found that it produces a remarkable array
> of physical, psychological, and social changes.

At 62 years old I have started to reflect on my life and where I am in
relationship to where I wished I was or envisioned in my youth. I have also
reflected on luck and gratitude and faith. I will state right now that when I
was in my late 40's I had to have emergency 4 way bypass. I was lucky that
over the 3 days to get me to the right hospital I did not have a heart attack
but just pain. My surgeon says I was lucky I just did not die suddenly.

While waiting on the doctors to get the paperwork signed by my wife I closed
my eyes and said a little prayer. Now understand I am not a church goer but I
am spiritual and since having an out of body experience at 5 years old always
believed that we are all connected. So I asked God if I would be okay and to
take care of my family should I die. God talked to me, or I imagined God
talked to me. The difference to me does not matter. The content of what God
said matters. "You will be alright and it is not about you, it is about the
kids." I thought this was about my kids but I have come to believe that it is
about many kids. So I work at a University now, I support FIRST Robotics in
many ways, I take interns from High School on at work when I can, I mentor an
occasional High School student and I help organize a local annual maker faire
like event called RVA MakerFest.

I don't tell you these things to brag. In fact I just feel lucky that I have a
purpose and can help in some small way to increase the success of a few youth.

So how does luck and hard work play into this? Well if I had heard God's
message and not acted on it then my life would be different. I would not be
making a difference with youth. If you are a "slacker" most luck is not going
to change that. If you work hard then luck can play an additional role in what
you achieve. I don't consider myself to be successful but I do consider myself
to be happy. And maybe that is all that matters.

I'm lucky that I had an out of body experience (OBE) during a face injury when
I was 5. I realized what the OBE was in college when I was reading some text
about OBE. I am lucky that I had 4 way bypass and yet not a heart attack. I am
lucky that out of 800+ resumes in my job search I found a local university to
work for that is my dream job. I left banking which surely would have killed
me.

I am lucky that I found my lovely wife and had two great kids. I am lucky for
so much more.

I work hard and expect my staff to do the same. Without that hard work I would
not have the time and the money to give back for mentoring youth. I would not
have the ability to act on luck.

I try to reflect on my gratitude everyday. Sometimes during meditation,
sometimes when going to bed, sometimes really at the top of my lungs in the
car with screams of excitement about life. When I do, I see more opportunity
to give more. Some might call this the miracles of coincidence some might call
it abundance. I don't care what it is called. I just know it works for me.

