The ‘lucky’ mindset shift for a positive outcome

Whether you believe that there are forces at work that we cannot measure through science, such as the law of attraction, or whether you remain sceptical, with this article, I aim to open your mind to the potential importance of positivity.

If you don’t know the author, Professor Richard Wiseman, he is a psychologist and well-known sceptic of paranormal claims. Some of his popular work has explored the psychology and human behaviour behind experiences that may otherwise seem unexplainable – luck is a great example of this.

We all know people who claim to be ‘just unlucky’. You know who I’m talking about: it’s never their fault; the universe has simply conspired against them again. I think this is unlikely to be the whole story, in the same way that those of us who get a lucky break rarely get it entirely out of nowhere.

Results, good or bad, are rarely shaped by one thing alone. The outcomes we experience are created by a combination of external factors, some of which we can influence and some of which we cannot.

Let’s start by looking at the types of factors we can influence.

In Professor Wiseman’s book The Luck Factor, he describes research involving people who considered themselves lucky or unlucky. Although something like good fortune is subjective, he reported patterns in how these people approached opportunities, expectations and setbacks.

The people who considered themselves lucky often reported being presented with job offers, business meetings and greater opportunities in general. Wiseman suggested that they were more likely to create and notice opportunities, remain open to new experiences, hold positive expectations and respond constructively when things went wrong.

The logic here is that when you approach life with an open and positive attitude, you may put yourself in the way of more opportunities. You network, make connections and may appear more approachable to other people. What follows could be invitations and opportunities that you might otherwise have missed.

Of course, this logic can work both ways. Some of the factors you can influence positively, such as creating more opportunities for yourself, could also be influenced negatively if you approach every situation expecting it to go badly.

Wiseman reported different patterns among people who considered themselves unlucky, including being more anxious, less likely to notice unexpected opportunities and more likely to focus on the negative aspects of unfortunate events.

So, how about those external factors that we can’t influence?

It’s certainly not the case that painting on a smile and singing a happy song will sort your world out. Negative things still happen to positive people. A positive outlook cannot prevent difficult events, remove structural barriers or guarantee a particular outcome.

However, Wiseman’s research suggested that people who considered themselves lucky were more likely to approach setbacks constructively and look for ways to move forward. Positivity is only one possible influence on resilience, and everyone’s circumstances and available support will be different.

We cannot simply choose everything that happens to us or how we feel. However, we may be able to influence some of the habits, expectations and behaviours with which we approach life. When we recognise where we do have some choice, we can start working on small changes.

You can start simply by making little shifts. Life coaches and people working in psychology often encourage gratitude for good reason, as practising gratitude may support well-being for some people. Something as simple as noticing your frustration with the queue in the post office while also appreciating the sunny day outside could be a place to start. One experience does not have to cancel out the other.

Why not try shifting your mindset a little, one small step at a time? You might begin to notice and create more opportunities sooner than you expect.