[FierceDraka]

There is really something to this.

For example, when I was in my early 20's, I was viciously pessimistic. There had been some circumstances in my life that were the result of some bad decisions I had made (early marriage), and I was a gushing font of hatred.

After a while, though, my attitude changed. Ever since then, things have gotten progressively better, and I noticed that I started getting lucky. It's sort of a feedback-loop.

[JoeSchem]

They are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make lucky decisions by listening to their intuition, create self-fulfilling prophesies via positive expectations, and adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good.

It's odd that secular people are saying this even as the pastor at my church is condemning the 'Prosperity Gospel.'

[Wilhelm Tell]

I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it

Thomas Jefferson

That in my experience is the crux of the matter. I have experienced victories and some pretty big losses in my life. Luck happens, but you have to work hard for it! A big part of it is just being aware and a little creative. Each situation has its own "pivot" as it were, and if you can anticipate when and where this pivot will be, you will be in a better position. If you are the first person to see an opportunity to take advantage of or a problem to avoid, then you are ahead of the game. And that is just the starting point! That is just the beginning of the work you have to do.

I do not believe in the power of positive thinking. I do believe in the positive power of thinking. Every time I have undertaken something important, I have told myself that there is only a 1/3rd of a chance of things going well and a 2/3rd chance of failure. You just have to get the best information you can, work hard and creatively, and be prepared to cut your losses and try something else. I have had to earn some things twice over, but I plodded along not so much because I was inspired -- I just didn't know what else to do. But I knew that just stopping and blaming my problems on others or waiting for someone to "give" me an opportunity would not get me anywhere.

I do not understand the passive attitude some people have. I know a 60 year old who is still mopeing about what his parents did not give him many years ago. I know someone who is stuck in a lousy job, complains about it, but seldom applies for another job.

Just a few trite observations from someone who has experienced both success and failure.

[AnnaZ]

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

 

It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home.

 

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

 

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...

 

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitude.

~ Chuck Swindoll ~

[Aeronaut]

In the words of an old blues song: "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all." (Not my situation, I might add!)

[Revolting cat!]

Damn it, I'm late to this great thread! Just my rotten luck!