The Creation of Luck: Serendipity

Creating ones own luck either sounds like the sayings of many new age self proclaimed ‘gurus’ or the new ‘self made’ millionaires travelling on the lecture circuit, selling their wares. It might surprise you therefore what both these groups have in common and what truth actually might lie behind their claims.
‘Luck’ has been poorly studied as a physical phenomenon even though it is something that all life and matter on earth experience throughout time and space. Statistical improbability and the study of chaos has unlocked some of our understanding into the formation and behaviour of complex systems. We apply chaos theory to figuring out how climate systems change under different pressures, the flow of ocean currents and the movement of cyclones is another good example.We can also apply this model of understanding to the very small, physical behaviour of particles. The uncertainty principle is used in atomic and quantum sciences when understanding the ‘random’ movement of particles. We can measure the field probability when we start to imagine particles not as individual points in a static system, but a complex set of waves interacting with each other, forming a field (or range) of not so random probable outcomes.This too can be applied to the human sciences and the complex systems that we arise from. Chaos theory and its multilateral outcomes can be used to describe the mass behaviour of crowds or even trends in financial systems. Buddhists explain this theory through what is known as ‘the big smoke’, an understanding of life and its events as an infinite inter-dimensional plane constantly interweaving and interacting with itself in higher and lower sets with fractal based topology.So, how does all this come back down to luck? And most importantly, how do we use this new paradigm of understanding to make our own luck? By seeing these principles in action and by using the same tools that are used in chaos theory, we can apply degree of control over some of these possible outcomes. Another way of saying this is in the word serendipity.Serendipity is where we make by fortunate finds through chance. We can see these types of discoveries throughout human history, from Newtons apple, to the discovery of many vaccines and phage based treatments. These discovery’s were never made in isolation however, they were all found by individuals or groups of individuals who were already experimenting or trialling similar ideas in nearby scientific fields.This therefore leads us to the idea of how to create ones own luck. By creating a breeding ground for ones own fortunate discoveries, we therefore can have some control of making breakthroughs for ourselves. By giving ourselves plenty of space and time to really broaden our experiences or experiments in life we can also expect to see some similar things happen to us in our life. Here are some examples to get you started:1. Read more.Reading widely provides many chances to see the world or think about things in a way you might never have been able to before.2. Place yourself in situations that are different or unique to your normal way of doing things and don’t be afraid of the unknown.Use these new experiences to develop your intuition and understanding of how things work or behave. Walk down the less walked path and try something new and these actions can lead you to a place unexpected.3. Know when to grab hold of things.Many events are only temporary in life and many only happen once. Whether its that museum you wished to visit, or that coffee you could have had with someone. Knowing when to continue your adventure and explore life is the key to making fortunate discoveries.4. Know when to trust your instinct.Not all ideas are good ideas, and sometimes you have to let things go. Realise that you can never be 100% in control of all possibilities at all times and realise when something is a no go. Understand that there is always risk in some activities and that sometimes that risk might outweigh any possibility of success. Know when to hedge your bets and protect yourself if the risk you’ve taken turns out to be not what you were hoping for.5. Keep a positive outlook.Whilst keeping one eye open to new ways of doing things, new possibilities, it helps to keep a positive mindset. By remaining steadfast and optimistic, you allow yourself to spot opportunities that a pessimist is likely to overlook.I hope this article has been helpful for those looking to increase their own luck and expand your understanding of the opportunities that exist out there for all of us. By using serendipity as a tool for our own personal growth and by seeing the environments all around us to be explored all of us can experience more luck and more positive, helpful discoveries!