Kind of provocative title, isn’t it? As I know that some of you believe in this. But let me share this story of mine. Long before, I always said to myself that I was lucky. My score in all my academic grades is always great, we can say I’m a top student. It was only 1 month after I graduated from university, I instantly got a job, at a very nice institution. Not just some kind of offices that will be my shelter for a moment, until I get a new job that will be my stepping stone. But this office is real. I did well in my job, my boss was satisfied with my job. And I did feel happy to work there. You could say, I’m lucky, right? But not only that, the Goddess of Fortune was still on my side and now she works together with Cupid! I got my match from heaven right in the office! It took us only 3 months to fully commit to each other. And got married not later than 1 year after I entered my job. Our first born came to the world slightly 1 year after we got married. We married on 6 August, she came into the world a year later, 23 July. And the rest is a history.
If you read it that way, that’s a smooth life isn’t it? But what you don’t know is, the story behind it. To be a top student, I have to study hard every single day. To be accepted at a nice institution, I have to beat all the qualified candidates, and it takes all of my capability in the first place. And to be happy with my husband right now, it takes so many tears and drama with my own parents. Because I have already engaged with the other man before. Yes true, that was the case. Now that you know. Do you still consider it lucky?
As for me, turns out I’m not lucky, but I can call it a blessing from God. God bless me because maybe He saw all of my efforts to reach what I want. He saw I’m quite persistent to make it happen. As God wants to emphasize the idea to me that my journey of life doesn’t come from luck. But from hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Opportunities can occasionally be influenced by luck (we can agree to disagree). But what truly makes a difference is how we prepare, the effort we put in, and the mindset we keep. Seeing blessings instead of luck also adds a sense of gratitude, making us appreciate the journey rather than just the result.
But, maybe you still want to protest. What about gambling? And we won a billion? Is it not lucky? It must be lucky. Sorry to say, I’m still in my current mindset, it is not lucky, it is just a coincidence. I’d say winning in gambling is more about probability and randomness rather than luck or even blessings. If you win, it’s not “necessarily” luck in a deeper sense. It’s more like a coincidence or a statistical possibility that happened to go in your favor. And if you are persistent in always winning at gambling, the result will be different from the hard work to reach something. You will be doomed. You will be poor. Because in the long run, gambling is designed so that the house always wins. Which is why consistent gambling usually leads us to losses. What about that? Still think it’s lucky?
So, if I see someone’s life is soooo great, as if they have everything that we as human being want in this world, I know that they are not lucky. But they tried so hard to make it happen and maintain what they have. We know exactly, it takes so much effort to get and maintain what we already have. So we have to shift our mindset, realize that there is no luckiness. By keeping this mindset, we keep ourselves motivated, as we keep ourselves pushing forward. It will always be there to remind us that efforts and persistence will always pay off.
To sum it up, I want to quote this inspiring quote by our comedian who turns out to be the wisest man ever, Steve Harvey : “There’s no such thing as luck. These are blessings. God endows them upon you. He makes you a blessing to become a blessing.” Say it loud, Harvey!
Love,
Kirana
