Hi Boyd,

> What about 'luck?'

> Heinlein said something like luck is a
> measure of one's ability to cope with a
> statistical Universe. Boyd says there's a
> direct correlation between good luck and
> sustained hard/smart work.

Yes, I'm a big believer in making your own luck....

Let me share with you a quick story about a friend of mine. One year ago, he was a bus driver. Now he works in the IT field, doing programming (both standard programming and database programming).... He's in his early 40s....

He told me how he just looked forward to getting out of bed in the morning so he could go to work! He LOVES his job now!

How did he go from being a bus driver, to working with computers? He took a course.... For a long time, he was VERY busy.... Driving buses Monday to Saturday (and occasionally on Sunday) during the day, and working at night on his computer coursework....

When he got his certificate qualifying him, he couldn't find work. But, he was very proactive about it.... You have to put yourself out there, let yourself be known. He put his resumes on several job web sites, and one of the web sites was very effective, and he got many job offers....

At the same time, his other coursework buddies couldn't find work, since they weren't willing to put themselves "out there," to push themselves to a degree, to let the world know that they exist....

That's what I consider "making your own luck"! If you stay hidden, in your shell, your chance of success is much less likely.... But if you put yourself "out there," let the world know that you exist, then your chances of success are much greater!

I'm sure many of his coursework buddies say my friend is very "lucky".... Probably his old bus driver pals say the same thing too.... But we know that the real secret is that he made his own luck.

That's the "secret" I've learned about "luck".... Don't wait for it to come to you, but make your own, by putting yourself "out there" and letting the world know that you exist!

- Dien Rice