“Good luck!” How often do you hear that? People say that to me every now and then. This makes me think about whether or not luck is really necessary in order to be successful with something, and I don't really think it is necessary. Why would I want to hope I have good luck with something? And why would I need luck in order to succeed at something?

Hoping I will say the right things, or that a test will have easy questions that I will know the answers to, or hoping I run fast in the race, or that the guy will like me back. This hoping is like having FAITH that a God will just make things work out. Saying “Good luck” is like saying “Have faith”.

I don’t need luck in order to succeed at something. I need to be responsible and in control. My success will depend on my own decisions and actions. If I want a test to have easy questions, then I will take it upon myself to study a lot. If I want an interview to go well, I will rehearse, and then go with an audacious and positive attitude. If I want the boss to give me a good performance review, I will make sure I do a good job throughout the year. A truly responsible person needs to be proactive.

I don’t succeed out of luck. It is my own effort that makes me successful.

How do you view the idea of luck? Is luck necessary for success?

You are over analyzing this.

Its a nice thing to say, and the intent is obvious. It doesnt need to read like a legal disclaimer.

"while I know you do not achieve success by luck alone, nor am I implying anything about faith, while acknowledging that your talents and choices are responsible for your successes, I will say 'good luck' to you as a gesture of kindness."

It is just a matter of removing the religious or superstitious in this case, connotation from the term. I don´t like these innacurate terms either, in my opinion, it is about time they review the dictionary and update some terms, they are in the process of doing it in the Portuguese language, but I´m not "putting my hopes up" that they will take care of terms that carry this kind of connotations, so it is in my best interest, to find a way of not letting them annoy me... so now when they´ll say to me: "Good luck", I just look at it this way: it is an incentive, or they are wishing me well for whatever reason, in sum, it is not their intention to annoy me, but to send posititve thinking my way, so I just leave it at that.

When "good luck" is used in a sarcastic form, then I just know, time will tell, but I don´t get annoyed by it anymore either.

To allow such small things to annoy one, is the next step to hysteria, and surely there is no need for that.

I don't like the way I previously worded some things, so I have edited those things. It may have given you the wrong idea.

When people say "Good luck" to me, I know that they are being nice, so I smile and appreciate their kindness. The gesture itself is intended to be nice, so I treat it as a nice gesture.

It is the idea of relying on luck to just make me successful that I don't really adhere to. It is not necessary for success.

Then why didn't you talk about luck instead of that phrase?

Anyway, "luck" is a vague measuring unit for random success or failure. a void "explanation" for events and their probability to succseed.

Luck resembles god in the sense that it attempts to vaguely
explain the validity of events. and even in a more simplistic manor.

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Is luck necessary for success?

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In backgammon, yes. During money play or a point match
skill is very important for setting up moves. All the skill in the
world however, is no match for what comes out of the dice
cup.

In my experience, good luck becomes as such when it is noticed and used by an observant and creative individual. Consistently lucky people are optimistic, enterprising, creative, and observant, so they're able to see the real potential in everyday events and coincidences.

So, even having luck--especially on a consistent basis-- requires some skill.

Luck is something you cultivate and create for yourself. It is part of magic. It is that window of opportunity that opens up for you in the right place at the right moment.

I think luck is absolutely necessary for success.. not to rely on, but to take advantage of as it presents itself.

Really, how successful can an "unlucky" person be?

If you are mentally closed off to it, you may fail to recognize opportunites that are manifesting right before your eyes.

But the question is.. Is this really "luck" at all?

Mjollnir, I think you define luck differently...

Luck, in your terms, is more like a part of self confidence.
A "sixth sense" so to speak.

an "unlucky" person in my book is a person that probably
failed once, an external factor pointed out his "unlucky fate"
and then self persuasion by the sub-conscience (or maybe
the conscience itself!) draws the person into a state of "belief that he is unlucky".

I was thinking along the same lines when I read the original post. "Lucky" people are simply observant, and take advantage of "happy coincidences" or circumstances.

To speak to the original post...I do not believe in luck.
When my son was in the first grade, he and his classmates were asked to bring in a lucky charm, or an object they used for luck. My wife and I met with the teacher and explained that we were raising our son free of any type of superstition, including luck. That was a couple of years ago, so I do not remember how we resolved the issue.

Well, I could say, "I wish for the concordance of events to coalesce and create an event that you can use to your advantage!", but it just doesn't roll of the tongue like, "Good Luck!"

I don't really mind when people wish me luck. In fact I appreciate the moral support. But my usual response is along the lines of, "Luck has nothing to do with it. It's all skill."

Ditto.

If someone is genuine with it I thank them kindly for to me it means that they are employing a measure of lesser magic to aid me in my goals. Likewise I will not say it to anyone unless I mean it because to me it is a ritual and you have to deserve this.

luck is simply a way of being nice to someone. It basicly says like, say your going onstage and your very nervous. Your friend says good luck to you. Its not like hes casting a spell on u to do good, hes just easing your nervousness by giving you encouragement.

It all depends on the level of importance you place on it, now doesn't it?

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"But the question is.. Is this really "luck" at all?"

>>"No. I don't think it is luck. I think it is magic."

>>"Are luck and magic the same thing?"

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To the average Joe I would call it luck.

You are right.. it is magic. Practicing magic makes me lucky, and my enemies unlucky.

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an "unlucky" person in my book is a person that probably
failed once, an external factor pointed out his "unlucky fate"
and then self persuasion by the sub-conscience (or maybe
the conscience itself!) draws the person into a state of "belief that he is unlucky".

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.. or maybe they got hexed by a Satanist.

I consider luck to be nothing more than the occurance of favorable things happening which have low probability. There is nothing spiritual about it, and the repeated occurance of such events is simply coincidence. I may call this "good luck" or "bad luck", but these are nothing more than concepts...

After all, numbers don't really exist, but that doesn't mean I avoid math...

Edit:: The phrase "Luck has nothing to do with it" does not apply in all situations, as we cannot expect to control every single factor in every situations. In situations where some factors are beyond our control, we must evaluate the probability of a favorable outcome, and weigh up the rewards of a favorable outcome against the consequences of an unfavorable outcome. If the outcome is favorable, This is "Good Luck".

Luck is created by being prepared and paying attention. Luck is categorized by attitude.

If I'm driving home on the freeway and see a wall of brake lights ahead, I can think "oh how unlucky I am that I'm stuck in a traffic jam." Alternatively, if I've explored other paths and notice the brake lights soon enough, I could think "how lucky I am that I have time to get over a lane and take the next exit. How fortunate that I know another way home." Or I might still call myself unlucky and whine about traffic...that's where attitude comes in.

Luck is only as good as how well prepared you are.

If they are wishing you "good luck" (and they are sincere) then, in a way, they are showing their allegiance towards you and your goal. Perhaps it is to a small degree, but, it's still there.

And needless to say, they aren't wishing you "bad luck" now are they?