Money Matters — A little lick of luck?
By: Pratik Agarwal
Tags: Luck, Money, Self-awareness, Money Mindset

Image and poem by Author

As I set out to write this article, I ended up writing a poem instead. The image that you see on top is actually a poem which beautifully(well almost) summarises my thoughts about this topic. But I couldn’t have left without addressing it in an article either. I will try to keep it short and crisp though.

While passing through a market have you ever noticed the various shops and business establishments? While some of the stores are packed with customers, some are moderately full, and others are absolutely empty. All these stores are in the same market and most of them trade in commodities which are pretty much common and relevant to the consumers there. Yet, while some of them are doing fabulously well there are others who are struggling in the same market. Ever wondered why?

Two siblings, a couple of years apart, grow up together in the same circumstances, receive the same education and yet end up finding themselves in different positions across the financial spectrum. What do you think changed?

The more I have thought about these scenarios, the more I have become certain about the role of some supernatural power in our lives that determines the ultimate state of affairs in it.

Since we have been talking about money matters, I thought it would be incomplete if I do not touch upon this one critical yet most overlooked point. The role of luck in our financial lives and not just financial but every other aspect of it as well.

Look at the stock markets for instance. Every pundit out there will vouch for the fact that no one, absolutely no one can time the market or master it. There is only the probability of one getting it right more times than someone else.In other words there is a higher chance that someone gets it right more often than someone else. But if someone does claim to know it all and gets it right all the time, he is being arrogant.

We have all heard and seen of “HAPPY GO LUCKY” people. Folks who just end up being at the right place at the right time! They usually achieve the best results with minimal efforts. On the other hand we come across people who do everything right by the book yet their condition only seems to get worse or at best remains stagnant. How does one justify that?

Sure there are certain people who are smarter than others, there are certain people who are able to capitalise better on the same opportunities but what does one do when despite all the might and despite doing everything right, things just don’t click?

The purpose of my article today is not to discourage anyone from working hard. On the contrary, it is to encourage everyone to work as hard as one can. We must work so hard that we leave no stone unturned so that in the end, if still unsuccessful, luck is the only factor left that one can attribute their failure to. And what is failure after all? It is only the end result that we did not expect or hope for, certainly not the end of the world.

The problem is that we live in such a result oriented world, that all efforts boil down to nothing if the desired result is not met. The purpose of my article is also to convey this very vital point — to not be disheartened by it. I know it’s easier said than done. How can one not be affected by the end result that is not acceptable despite doing everything in one’s control to hope, expect and desire otherwise. Acknowledging luck and factors that are beyond our control can help us be less discouraged perhaps.

The final purpose of this article today, and perhaps the last of this series to do with money, is to train ourselves to take things with a pinch of salt. How often do we factor in the role of luck in our own successes and how often do we attribute it to the success of others? We always like to believe that while our own success is well deserved and a result of sheer hard work, other peoples’ success is merely because of their inheritance or luck. We hardly like to give credit to them for their hard work and smart decisions. We in fact must start doing the same with ourselves. It will not only make us more humble as human beings but also help us be less harsh with ourselves when we face a setback.

Giving power to something beyond our control is not a sign of weakness. It is in fact a sign of maturity and submission. Submission to a higher source only reinstills faith in us as human beings apart from saving us from being arrogant and blind. In this materialistic world it is rather easy to get carried away, to become proud and full of ourselves so much so that we start feeling invincible when in reality we are but souls that someone decided to shower a little luck upon!