Written by: March 17, 2024
How to increase your luck surface area:
Principle-First
Luck isn't as random as it appears.
There are 4 types of luck, according to Dr. James Austin:
- Blind Luck: Random chance events.
- Motion Luck: Luck from taking action.
- Spotting Luck: Recognizing opportunities from experience and preparation.
- Attracting Luck: Building a unique character & skillset.
(I first encountered this concept from entrepreneur and modern philosopher Naval Ravikant.)
Today, I’ll show you how to blend serendipity and strategy, allowing you to exert more influence over your results.
SUPERHUMAN SCORING
In every edition of System Sunday, I assess the featured system across three superhuman dimensions: impact, setup, and maintenance.
Unlike your typical review, I focus on factors that influence personal growth. Get to know the evaluation system.
Impact (9.5/10)
The first type of luck —'blind luck'— differs from the others.
Chance luck is outside your control (e.g., finding money on the sidewalk, winning the lottery, or being born into wealth or privilege).
Be grateful for good fortune when it happens. But realize that waiting for chance luck is a trap. (It makes you dependent on external factors.)
Let’s keep moving to the luck you can influence.
Setup (7.5/10)
1. Motion Luck
This is luck from taking action.
Example: A salesperson making 100 cold calls.
If there is a 1-in-100 chance of a sale, and you make 100 calls, then you approach the statistical likelihood of someone saying ‘Yes.’
But be wary of busy-ness. You don’t just want to work hard; you also want to work smart.
How to increase ‘motion luck':
- Say ‘Yes’ to new opportunities (especially early in your career).
- Experiment often, measure your progress, and do more of what’s working.
2. Spotting Luck
This is luck where your preparation and experience allow you to identify opportunities.
Example: An investor who analyzes market trends to spot undervalued stocks.
How to increase ‘spotting luck':
- Put yourself in an environment where things are happening (often metro cities).
- Be a lifelong learner; follow your curiosity across diverse topics.
- Be flexible and adaptable to pivot toward opportunities as they arise.
3. Attracting Luck
“Magnetism luck” is when your reputation pulls opportunities towards you.
Example: Being asked to give a keynote speech at an event.
How to increase ‘attracting luck':
- Develop a reputation for being world-class at one thing.
- Build a strong personal brand by sharing your ideas online.
- Double down on what is authentically you. As Naval Ravikant says, “Nobody can compete with you on being you.”
Maintenance (7.5/10)
Increasing your luck surface area is not a one-time effort.
Check in periodically to ensure you’re not falling into the traps of blind luck (being dependent on external forces) or hustle luck (working hard but not smart).
BRINGING IT HOME
Harsh truth: Nobody is coming to save you.
Instead, nurture your luck.
Don’t wait for the stars to align, but align them yourself.
All systems go,
P.S. Whenever you’re ready to increase your “luck surface area,” book a coaching call with me. I’ll show you how I grew my LinkedIn audience from 1k to 570K+ in 18 months.
Why become a thought leader online? You’ll get “lucky” with inbound business leads, investment opportunities, and meeting incredible people.
Learn about my 1:1 coaching program (and read client reviews) at benmeer.com/coaching.
