I was told again recently that I am a lucky, lucky man, I wonder how many more times in my life I will be told I am lucky? I almost laughed out loud as they said it because of the irony of the fact I am well known for not believing in chance and random good fortune and I encourage people how to make their own luck. Obviously they haven’t read my book and even though it used to upset me when people told me I was lucky, these days I quite enjoy it and find it amusing.
This recent comment reminded me of a Monty Python sketch from 
the brilliantly funny film The Life of Brian. The scene is set in a dungeon where Brian is thrown and then told by one of the other prisoners that he is a lucky lucky b*stard! Brian can’t understand how being thrown in a dungeon and being spat at in the face can be lucky. To which the other prisoner proclaims that he is lucky and a proper jailers pet because he dreams about being spat at in the face. It is incredibly funny but I am positive this scene was inspired by real people who insist on deflecting their own problems and failings onto others by stating that everyone is lucky even when it should be obvious that they are not lucky at all.
This practice has become so common in society now that the meaning of the word luck has become overused and the meaning has been blurred, those that follow my blog regularly will know I have written about this a few times. It’s no surprise that I haven’t enjoyed being called lucky after being homeless as a teenager and overcoming that to find success as an entrepreneur through my own endeavors. Chance or random good fortune had absolutely nothing to do with it and it had everything to do with taking calculated risks, having no fear of change or failure and never giving up.
So what would I like to happen or change about the use of the word luck or lucky? Ultimately I would like people to read my book, follow the advice in it and create some success for themselves, however that’s quite a lot to ask so just some small changes in people’s attitudes would be good. I’d love to see a more positive outlook from people so they stop deflecting any failings from themselves and then take responsibility for their own shortcomings or success.
The fact remains that I have ironically taken the word lucky out of context and used it in the title of my book so I’m not sure what position I am in to lecture others that misuse the word. Whatever happens from here I will always be tied to it so maybe I should just enjoy it more.
See here more information on my book How To Be Lucky
Whatever you do in life, be happy and be lucky.
Matt Kinsella
