Perspective PowerTM - The Role Of Luck
A question that often arises at this point is the role of good, old-fashioned luck in your success.
Luckily for us, Dr. Richard Wiseman—Head of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, U.K.—has spent ten years of his professional life studying the nature of luck, and so I can answer that question.
Hot Coffee And A Slice Of Good Fortune
Here’s a typical, and thought provoking, example of Wiseman’s studies. The subjects in this amusing experiment—Brenda and Martin—had a totally different take on the amount of luck in their lives. Brenda felt herself to be very unlucky; ‘a walking disaster,’ whereas Martin thought of himself as exceptionally lucky.
To investigate the role that Brenda and Martin played in generating their own good fortune, Wiseman staged a scenario that offered ‘unlucky’ Brenda and ‘lucky’ Martin equal opportunities for a positive outcome.
Individually, the two subjects were asked to visit a coffee house to meet with a researcher. On the ground in front of the coffee shop, and in plain view, Wiseman had left a five pound note (about $10). Also, inside the coffee house, a successful businessman waited for the two subjects.
Martin went first: He immediately noticed and picked up the money and, after striking up a conversation with the businessman, offered to buy him a drink. The businessman accepted Martin’s offer which extended the table talk. Brenda followed: She didn’t spot the money. And even though she sat next to the businessman, rather than engage him in conversation, she maintained a stony, isolated silence.
Dr. Weisman subsequently interviewed both subjects about their luck that day. Martin explained that he had spotted money on the street and enjoyed a conversation with a successful businessman. Brenda described her morning as “uneventful”. Even though both subjects were given equal opportunities, the outcomes were very different.
Wiseman’s Conclusions
After ten years of research, Wiseman concluded that people use a handful of simple strategies to create their own luck. He believes the amount of good fortune we experience depends on the extent to which we maximize our opportunities, reframe our problems, expect good luck and pay attention to our gut feelings.
How do Wiseman’s conclusions relate to the importance of looking at yourself, your life and your future from different points of view? In the next section of this book you’ll discover that the best way to spot opportunities and solve problems is to view them from multiple angles. Also, after you’ve evaluated your circumstances from several points of view, you can choose a perspective that will prepare your brain to expect positive outcomes and discern ‘gut feelings’.
In a nutshell, Wiseman’s strategies share a common denominator—what I call Perspective PowerTM. The epiphenomenon we call ‘luck’ is actually the ability to see things from multiple points of view.
