The Difference Between Lucky or Smart
You’ll often hear someone say, “They got lucky.” Sometimes you’ll hear someone say, “They are very smart.” Is there a difference between being lucky or smart?
Good Luck
We sometimes assume that luck simply happens. You get lucky if you win the lottery against very big odds. Luck might be with you when you pick the date for the summer picnic and that day the weather is amazing.
Many people might agree that luck implies we have little or no control over the situation.
Bad Luck
We might feel unlucky if we get a flat tire on our car, or we get sick with a cold right before several very busy days in our schedule.
The truth about luck, good or bad, is that often the outcomes are conditioned by how you manage it.
Have the most successful people been lucky? Are they smarter?
Lucky or Smart
The multi-million dollar winner of the lottery might become completely broke within just a few years. In contrast, the person with nearly nothing might become quite successful in a very short time. Both are the result of how their situation was managed.
This is exactly why you have to be smart. Smart isn’t always the most educated. It isn’t always the most experienced. Being smart often means you feel a responsibility and hold yourself accountable for your actions and decisions.
Analyze the data, consider the facts, use your knowledge and base it on your experiences. Sure, you can consult with others, get opinions, and make best guesses. You can do research and examine all options. Just make sure you are doing it smart.
Smart
It’s not always the fastest, it’s not necessarily the most calculated, and it doesn’t mean that it is low risk. Smart means you do the absolute best you can with everything you do. It means you make the best choices, not necessarily the easiest ones.
You may not always like the options but you still have to decide. Sometimes a decision to do nothing is still a decision. You’ll have to make the best one at the time, live with it, and make more.
Are you lucky or smart?
Either way it’s always about what you decide.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
