We were at some friend's house the other day and the wife mentioned some other acquaintances of ours.
"It sure is too bad, all the bad luck they have," she said.
My first thought was, "Bad habits, not bad luck."
My second thought was, "Or is it bad choices?"
You see, there is a difference. What we many times call bad luck is merely bad choices.
Let me explain:
If you work hard, buy a new car, keep it up with regular maintenance and blow a tire driving down the road, that is bad luck.
However, if you drive on your tires until they are almost bald and drive at speeds higher than they are recommended for, and keep them at the wrong inflation level, and then the tire blows, that is not bad luck but bad choices. The tire blew because you chose not to buy new ones. The tire blew because you chose not to take the time to check your tire inflation level the last time you filled up the tank.
It is bad luck to leave your house on vacation and while you are away the gas line breaks and the house blows up.
It is bad habits to not tend to taking care of your house, replacing the roof, painting, etc until it is a junk pile. It is bad luck to be let go from a company that goes into meltdown because the CEO acted unethically and the stock tanks, forcing layoffs.
It is both bad choices and bad habits to be late to work everyday, display shoddy workmanship and have a bad attitude to the point that the boss fires you.
If you choose to frequent shady parts of town or risky establishments, and you get mugged, is that bad luck or bad choices?
You get the point.
How often do we call something bad luck when it is really the result of bad habits or bad choices?
This really boils down to a matter of ownership of our lives and actions. Do we take full responsibility for our lives or not? I know of a gentleman who was recently passed over for a job. It would have paid him $13,000 for a week's worth of work. The person who passed him over told me why. Knowing this gentleman, I said, "It is too bad, because with a few good choices, that guy could be living in a nice house, driving nice cars, and having very few financial problems."
What about you? Do you experience bad luck? Or bad habits? Or bad choices?
The next time you hear someone say, "He's down on his luck," perhaps you ought to ask, "Or is he down on his choices?" I have found that those who have good habits and make good choices tend to experience the best luck!
So, if you want a little good luck, make some good choices and develop some good habits.
"Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get." Ray Kroc
"When I work fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, I get lucky." Dr. Armand Hammer
About The Author:
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.
To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://chris-widener.inspiresyou.com/ or call 800-929-0434.
limo prices to midway Crystal Lake west of Randal .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWhen most of us are asked the most important possession... Read More
What if I told you that you could be more... Read More
Being organised is a major step to success and the... Read More
Driven by cultural imperatives and inner promptings, we drive ourselves... Read More
Much has been researched, written and taught about success. One... Read More
With topics in personal development ranging from goal setting to... Read More
Are you getting frustrated because the work you continue to... Read More
e-Learning is doubling yearly. Classes, e-courses, e-books on how-to and... Read More
This revelation hit me the other day while I was... Read More
If failure is the roadway, then Perseverance is the vehicle... Read More
What do Sam Walton, Ray Kroc, Hilton, Marriot, Firestone, Elvis... Read More
People say: "One can't help one's thoughts." But one can.... Read More
Being busy has become a way of life for many... Read More
I'll be the first to admit that everyone has his... Read More
Never settle for what you can currently imagine You are... Read More
"The reason man may become the master of his own... Read More
Have a therapeutic meltdown It's crunch time: you're two days... Read More
When you are working over time but yet you do... Read More
I am going to tell you something you already know... Read More
Business knowledge and skills are not the only keys to... Read More
"If you think you can or you think you can't... Read More
We are repeatedly told that we should forget about unpleasant... Read More
Recently I stumbled across a list of Microsoft Interview questions... Read More
"Enthusiasm is worth any pot of cream ever offered."Can you... Read More
Looking for a way to make this year your best... Read More
taxi o'hare Auburn ..I want to relate to you a story, READ it... Read More
Do you feel you lead a healthy and happy life?... Read More
Becoming successful requires a lifestyle change. It requires that you... Read More
Response means "to answer" and that idea, in its purest... Read More
If you called my office you will hear my voice... Read More
What characteristics are common among successful people. If you analyze... Read More
Today I was glad that I had bothered to read... Read More
Not only do we communicate with ourselves, but our cells... Read More
They 'do it' by sharpening their FOCUS on the task... Read More
Something For You To Consider?How To Create What You Want... Read More
How's the weather there?We use small talk to connect with... Read More
These days success is a hotly debated subject. Nevertheless, people... Read More
Fear, or negative anxiety, is the modern day bubonic plague,... Read More
When you look into the eyes of a winner, what... Read More
Most of my clients had a vision of the contribution... Read More
Nobody becomes a success alone, period. There is no such... Read More
Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More
1. Any work activity, unless initiated at the earliest will... Read More
A few weeks ago I took my boy on a... Read More
I would like to use this medium to introduce my... Read More
Many people consider reading books a waste of time. It... Read More
Many of the problems we have with discipline are caused... Read More
If you look back to the 70s and 80s, many... Read More
Every one of us lives with a ceiling, a belief... Read More
Do you remember when you were a child and no... Read More
Success |