Luck and Work
Yesterday, I found a four leaf clover. I have been actively looking for one for months. (It became my new thing to look for after PM Harper took the penny out of regular rotation.)
And then just like that, on a lawn with thousands of clovers, I noticed it. My brain at first wouldn’t believe what it saw: “It’s probably just an illusion with another clover underneath.” But sure enough, it was the elusive green lucky charm, nestled among so many others, and somehow (maybe this is the real luck?) my eyes fell upon it.
I picked it, carefully holding on firmly but not too firmly as to bend the stem. When the dog had to do her business, I made sure to put the clover carefully down so that I could easily find it again. I was pretty excited!
As Luck Would Have It
As it turns out, my day was not lucky at all. Nothing we had planned to do came to fruition, and the day was a struggle. But, as I mention above, I think part of the “luck” was finding it in the first place. And it reminded me of a few things that are on my mind.
Visibility. So often we want to hide in a sea of others, not standing out, not making waves. It’s difficult, sometimes, to be different. It can feel like pressure.
Overnight success. Come with me on this ride for a minute. You know those bands that seem to come out of nowhere, with hits on the radio and sold out stadiums, and you think to yourself, “where did they come from?” Usually, they came from hard work, dedication, playing to 2 people in a 200 seat venue. And here’s the thing about me finding the clover. Like I said, I’ve been looking for a long time. I put in my clover-searching dues. The laws of odds show that I was going to see one at some point.
Threshold. Nothing happens “just like that”. You put in time, effort, some heart. Let’s say public speaking is a resounding NO for you, but let’s also say that it becomes part of your job description. The first time you do it is likely not going to be amazing. But the second time is going to be better than the first time. And the sixth time is probably going to be actually good. And the tenth time will feel comfortable. And for those who catch you for the first time on your 20th talk, they’ll think “Look at this boss go! She’s naturally good at this.” Naturally my ass, right? At some point, you cross over to success in the same way that at some point I successfully found my clover. You get back whatever energy you’ve put into something. Also called the law of attraction.
Have you started?
What journey are you on? What level of visibility do you have? What level of visibility do you want? How confident do you feel? What is something that is important to you, but that you find difficult, or impossible to achieve? Drop me a note in the comment box below (I respond to each one!), or schedule a 15 minute chat with me (for free, of course!). I’d love to hear about what you’re working toward!
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