A few people on the internet just have it made. They had a head start. They got the fame. They got the opportunities. And finally, they collected the riches.
We look at those people and think: "They're lucky."
Sometimes this leads us to resent their success. If we're not careful, a dangerous mixture of envy and defeatism can creep in.
That's just not helpful.
You want to make new things, be creative and enjoy some success. How can you move forward if you're feeling unlucky?
Here's what's worked for me: turn it around. Think of all the ways you have been lucky.
Are you connected to the internet? You're lucky. (60% of the world doesn't have internet access).
Do you live in a peaceful area? You're lucky. (39 million people have been displaced because of armed conflict).
Do you earn more than $50,000 a year? You're lucky. (You’re in the top 0.31% of richest people in the world by income).
When we make a list like this, we see our good fortune. Anyone who's able to read this blog post is already way luckier than most folks on the planet.
You might feel behind others, but you're actually ahead of a lot of people. You've been given great opportunities where you are, right now.
The question is: how will you use your good luck to make the world a better place?
Cheers,
Justin Jackson
@mijustin
Note: I originally published this as a newsletter to my mailing list. You can join here.
Sources:
Photo by Franco Folini