Luck plays an important role in any success story. How many times have we heard people say that their success was attributed to “meeting the right person at the right time”?
This is essentially what serendipity is.
In other words, Serendipity is “the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way”.
However, as Gary Player once famously said “The harder I practice, the luckier I get”, you can do things to increase the odds in your favour.
So why not increase your serendipity and increase your luck?
Five Ways to Increase Your Serendipity
- Gain new knowledge and experience
Read books. Gain experience in new and different things. Increase the breadth of your knowledge and understanding.
- Do something different
Go to that new coffee shop or restaurant, instead of going to the same one. Sit in a different place at lunch. Make time for hanging out with friends, instead of giving excuses. Start a website even if you don’t have a clue about websites. Start a blog. Join a new sports club. Do something different. Get out of your comfort zone, and immerse yourself in new experiences.
- Follow your own path
So much of social media is filled with people telling others what to do. For example, “why you should start a side hustle” or “why you should quit your job” etc etc. What people don’t realise is that we are all individuals. We don’t all want to turn our hobbies into businesses. We don’t all want to start a side hustle. We don’t all want to quit our jobs. We don’t all want to listen to this podcast or read this book. What makes one person happy may not apply to the next. Life is too short to follow some sort of lifestyle an ‘influencer’ portrays, especially if it comes at the expense of making you unhappy.
Do what you love, even if you worry that it is useless. I don’t care that I get only 10 viewers every month on this blog. I do it because I enjoy it. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Become your own unique shape.
- Be nice
Be nice. Be generous. Be more giving. I am a strong believer that whatever you give, you will get in return. Even if it’s a random smile at a stranger. That one smile may spark a conversation, which could lead to anything.
- Take it easy
Go with the flow. Even though trying out new things and putting yourself out there will increase the chances of serendipity, have an open mind. Don’t expect too much from these changes. Take it easy and let the dots connect. Don’t view every new stranger you meet as your future partner or business partner. Let things develop and progress naturally.
