Luck is No Accident
By Ruth Silverman(Published in The Recruit, Mar. 31 - Apr. 13, 2006)
Luck: Do it yourself!
Did you ever hear about someone getting a dream job through a "friend of a friend" and think, "What a lucky break"? Well, as John D. Krumboltz and Al S. Levin, authors of Luck is no Accident: Making the most of happenstance in your life and career (2004, Impact Publishers) would tell you, that person probably worked hard laying the groundwork for what you saw as luck. Not only did the person activate their network by telling everyone they encountered what job they were looking for but they were also not shy to speak about their strongest selling points, something that can be difficult for those of us who were raised with the message "Don't get a swelled head." Digging even deeper, the person would have spent years establishing good will with their friends and colleagues, by working hard, by following through on commitments, by staying in touch, and by generally getting along well with others. On this point, the authors quote Stephen Leacock for the life lesson, "I'm a great believer in luck... the more I work, the more of it I have."
Luck is no Accident is a short (155 p.), easy to read book full of life lessons, inspiring quotes, personal stories, and exercises to assist in your own journey. Changing careers and uncertain about where you'll end up? Take heart in former U.S. President Herbert Hoover's advice that "Wisdom is not so much knowing what you must do in the end as knowing what you must do next." The authors emphasize taking action, taking that first step. Career planning programs help clients develop an Action Plan with a Goal. You should be open to the fact that when you make a plan and take action towards a goal, that action may cause a ripple effect in which you will be exposed to new people, see new sides of yourself, open new doors, and go in unexpected, positive directions. None of this will happen if you wait passively for a job or a new career, for luck to happen to you.
The authors note that only 2% of adults claim to be working in the occupation they had planned at age 18. Unexpected things happen. The key is to capitalize on the unexpected, whether the event itself is positive or negative. The authors give examples of how the seemingly negative events of being bumped off a flight, getting injured in an accident, and being forced to move to another city led to positive new careers for 3 people.
Other valuable insights from Luck is no Accident include:
- Don't be afraid to change directions even after you have invested time, money and energy in a career.
- Experiment with your dreams one step at a time rather than either suppressing them or pursuing them unrealistically.
- Listen to advice but make your own decisions.
- Reassess priorities as circumstances change.
- Take risks that are likely to pay off; apply for jobs that will be learning opportunities.
- It is better to try new things, make mistakes and learn from them than not to try new things.
- Become a lifelong learner.
These insights may seem like common sense, but all too often career confusion and financial distress may cause you to forget that you can make your own luck. If you need a shot of inspiration, take Luck is no Accident out of the library.
Ruth Silverman, MEd, CCC is a Counsellor/ Facilitator with SCCI Project Restart Ltd.