Your thoughts about luck in business

[Kurt]

I've heard good arguments for and against luck being involved in a person's sucess. I think a lot depends on how we define "luck". For me, luck is the random results of events we have no contol over.

I generally agree that those that work hard put them in more positions to to "get lucky" and many earn their "luck". On the other hand I believe there are random events that can overcome hard work, intelligence, wisdom, etc. And I believe that with everything else being equal, some will have better results than others.

For an example of luck, take a look at the coronaivirus scare that is starting at the time I'm writing this post. It's hurting the sales of Corona beer as some people think the two are connected. Corona had no control over this situation.

Coronavirus/Corona beer Reminds me a a "diet candy" sold in the US in the early 80s and earlier called Ayds. It didn't work out too well for them and they took the product off the market. Through no fault of their own their product was basically killed.

"Lose weight deliciously with the aid of Ayds."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfFs0o6pCxc

And since I believe in bad luck I also believe in good luck. There are also good things that happen to people that are beyond their control.

What do you think? Do you believe luck plays a factor in business?

[Sam M]

I've heard good arguments for and against luck being involved in a person's sucess. I think a lot depends on how we define "luck". For me, luck is the random results of events we have no contol over.

I generally agree that those that work hard put them in more positions to to "get lucky" and many earn their "luck". On the other hand I believe there are random events that can overcome hard work, intelligence, wisdom, etc. And I believe that with everything else being equal, some will have better results than others.

For an example of luck, take a look at the coronaivirus scare that is starting at the time I'm writing this post. It's hurting the sales of Corona beer as some people think the two are connected. Corona had no control over this situation.

Coronavirus/Corona beer Reminds me a a "diet candy" sold in the US in the early 80s and earlier called Ayds. It didn't work out too well for them and they took the product off the market. Through no fault of their own their product was basically killed.

"Lose weight deliciously with the aid of Ayds."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfFs0o6pCxc

And since I believe in bad luck I also believe in good luck. There are also good things that happen to people that are beyond their control.

What do you think? Do you believe luck plays a factor in business?

I agree with you a bit about luck. I had a friend that lost everything in Katrina. She was just getting ready to open her diner and took a chance and didn't have insurance and lost everything she invested in equipment and remodeling. She should have had insurance but couldnt affort it and dont think it was her fault and just bad luck.

[Jeffery]

Luck, be it good or bad is something I think we all have experienced rather we know it or not.

When I was in my youth, my first little league baseball game, I played first base. A ball was hit to second base so fast that the second baseman could not have possible stopped it.

Lucky for us the ball hit the second base 'sandbag back in the day' and the ball lodged itself just under the lip of the bag. The second baseman snatched it and bee lined it to me on first base.

Unlucky for the runner the ball struck the kid in the temple. Unfortunately, mental problems for the rest of his life.

Some people may call it a dose of good luck served with a dose of bad luck. I don't know.

[Dkillo]

I believe in good luck, bad luck, good breaks and bad. I've seen it in sports growing up, in business, and personally experienced it in life (I won't bore you with those details right now but let's just say I'm one of the unluckiest people on the planet according to one of my past doctors).

It's great when you experience good luck. Life is great.

Life education begins when you experience bad luck and how you handle it. I've seen it in sports many times over (my main sport growing up was baseball). You'd see a team that is leading by a lot of runs during a game. Some players may be celebrating a bit too early. A bad hop here, an overthrow there and suddenly the team that's leading suddenly isn't so cocky. The team making the comeback suddenly has life. Soon the players who were celebrating earlier now start bickering back and forth. Nothing can be done to stop the comeback and they wind up losing the game.

I've played on teams that were on both sides of that scenario.

We all deal with good and bad luck. The important thing is not letting the bad breaks tear you down and stop you in your tracks. Learn, adapt and live on.

[Kurt]

If you take a group of 100 hard working people and a group of 100 "average" workers, I have no doubt that there were be more successful people in the hard working group.

However, I also have no doubt that not all of the 100 hard working people will have more success than all of the 100 average people and that there are random factors we have no control over that affect our lives and success. And the two aren't mutually exclusive. A hard working person can also be lucky and vice versa.

[Jeffery]

When I was 10 years old I got lucky and won a goldfish. Two days later the poor thing died. My little brother fed it a stick of chewing gum. Need I say.. unlucky for my little brother, lol.

[Claude Whitacre]

If you take a group of 100 hard working people and a group of 100 "average" workers, I have no doubt that there were be more successful people in the hard working group.

However, I also have no doubt that not all of the 100 hard working people will have more success than all of the 100 average people and that there are random factors we have no control over that affect our lives and success. And the two aren't mutually exclusive. A hard working person can also be lucky and vice versa.

I don't think a person can be lucky or unlucky. But random things happen that affect what we do, and how it turns out.  


That's said, I've always felt that I was lucky...whatever that means.

[Jeffery]

IMO. luck be it good or bad is dependent on how we "position" ourself in life. I don't mean it 'depends' because the word 'depends' is an outcome with more than one variable that directly affects the outcome.

How many times have we heard someone say something like "I am not lucky enough to win the lotto" and "I never catch fish I am unlucky." I started asking "When was the last time you played the lotto?" and "When was the last time you went fishing?" Almost always they say something like.. never, long time ago, etc.

I say to them maybe its not luck. Maybe its because you don't put yourself in the position to do better?

That gets them to thinking.

[Jeffery]

When coaching at different 'Customer Service Call Centers' over the years I sit alongside different people called "Sitting Agents" at different 'work stations.' I meet all kinds of people from different walks of life.

There are days when the 'call volume' is very high meaning that the in-coming calls are 'back to back.' There is a 'call que' wherein there is a high call volume of customers waiting to be answered. As soon as an agent finishes a call the phone immediately rings. Imagine hundreds of agents in that situation. Stress is paramount.

More often than not at some point an agent will say something like "This is an unlucky day." or "Just my luck. Back to back calls." Things like that.

I often say to them.. "I don't know about luck, but I do know that your personal position of being an experienced agent makes you a better agent for the company and the customer. Well done!"

In other words it is not a matter of good or bad luck. More of a matter of positioning ourselves with a mindset that is dependent on our life experiences.

I am not an expert damnit.

[Kurt]

With the present circumstances there will sadly be many businesses (and people) that won't make it due to bad "luck". There will be many hard working, honest people that did all the right things and will still lose everything.

My definition of luck is random events that we have no control over.

[Claire Koch]

If money was about luck I'd be rich.  I mentioned on another thread that I watch ads and get gift cards for my mom
to use.  You can win a lot of things on these apps, I've never won anything.  To me these guys promote this stuff as
a thing for moms at home to do etc.  You get gift cards but the luck area is null and void.

I think luck is way way way overrated.