Are entrepreneurs “lucky” or do you need to create your own “luck”?

A lot of people say there is a great deal of “luck” behind all successful entrepreneurs. Yes, many view entrepreneurs as being born special to succeed in life. But is it always true?

The truth is, they happen to have made the right product, at the right place during the right time. However, personally, I think this statement disfavors many entrepreneurs.

How Entrepreneurs Are Actually Lucky?

Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” I like that definition and I agree with him because it simply implies that luck comes from someone’s unexpected opportunity, it also acknowledges that you need to be prepared to be lucky.

Although I do believe that “luck” does play a role in almost all businesses and other aspects of life, yet, I think it’s unfair to say that someone’s success comes from “luck” or just by chance. Unfortunately, success has very little to do with luck, meaning success is not brought by chance rather through one’s actions.

Steve Jobs Created His Own Luck Through Actions

We have more “lucky” entrepreneurs in the world including Ghana. Sure, one of them was Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was lucky to have been introduced to his genius co-founder Steve Wozniak. However, he also had to be prepared to revolutionize the computer market through his knowledge of Computer Science. If Steve Jobs only had the opportunity of meeting Steve Wozniak but wasn’t prepared to build the first Apple Computer 1, then Apple would have never become the company it is today.

Strategies to create your own “luck”

As I study more and more “lucky” entrepreneurs in our time, it seems that the difference between lucky and unlucky comes down to their ability to spot an opportunity. With this ability, lucky entrepreneurs can generate their own good fortune. Lucky entrepreneurs are mission-driven people who have a strong understanding of their long-term goals. They are constantly searching for strategies and new methods to achieve their outcome. If they see what they think could be a good course of action, they go for it, not caring whether they fail or not.

Lucky people also create self-fulfilling prophecies. They look at life as a series of opportunities rather than a series of problems. Instead of thinking that life is always happening to them, they believe life is happening for them. Therefore, it is essential that you always look for a silver lining in any situation you may find yourself in.

Entrepreneurs aren’t inherently lucky, but successful entrepreneurs do create their own “luck”. So, don’t get yourself in the wrong mindset of thinking you are not lucky. Everyone has the opportunity to be lucky. It’s just up to you to create your own “luck”.