I cringe when I hear people refer to successful business leaders as lucky as if the stars aligned and dropped all the keys to success and fortune in their lap.
Luck has nothing to do with success.
Perseverance and seizing opportunity does.
As Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
The truth
Business owners who half-ass their leadership and don’t plan never all of a sudden get lucky and find themselves awash in riches.
Leaders who set targets, plan strategically and most importantly, act boldly do.
If luck truly existed in business, we’d hear stories of guys sitting on their couch and all of a sudden poof, they’re successful business owners.
But we don’t. And we never will.
Some leaders might attribute luck to having the right opportunity or timing appearing, but that isn’t luck. There are always opportunities and good timing, you just have to know where to look and be prepared to act.
Bottom line
Don’t expect luck to be a factor in building a successful business. Expect hard work, look for good opportunities, and be prepared to act.
And remember, the harder you work and the more you learn, the “luckier” you’ll be.
