I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who happens to be experiencing a downturn in his life. In addition to dealing with a bunch of corporate politics at work, his home life is stressful as well. As we were talking, he blurted out the dreaded words, “You’re so lucky”. I am? Oh, that’s right, twenty-one years ago, a leprechaun handed me the keys to an office, gave me a list of clients and a bank account, and said, “Here you go, Mr. Capullo, you’re today’s lucky winner”. Wow, you don’t win shit like this on the Price Is Right. Instead of a year’s supply of Rice-A-Roni, I won a money-making machine. And, of course, it has been smooth sailing ever since. No problems, no hassles, no hoops to jump through: just income for the rest of my life.
Everyone has heard the expression, “The harder you work, the luckier you get”. While I believe the expression is overused, it’s a true statement. Yes, I have had some luck along the way. However, I’ve made it this far mainly because I took risks, worked my ass off, sought help when I needed it, refused (REFUSED) to be told no, and endured the hard times. And without a doubt, there were hard times. I don’t feel lucky, I feel blessed. I feel blessed to have enough drive enough ambition to go after what I want regardless of what is happening around me. I feel blessed to have the support of some really wonderful people who have made me “luckier” along the way.
When I explained this to my friend, he clung to the notion of me being lucky. In fact, he said that I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time in 1995 when I landed my first client. Again, I had to describe how I had stuffed all my belongings into the back of an old Toyota, drove to a town in Georgia where I didn’t know a soul, PROVE my worth, then ask for the business (had I been told no, there was no plan B). Some people want to believe the things that justify their inaction. I’m fine with that. It has no bearing on my obsession with creating my destiny.
Below are some things I believe everyone should do to increase their luck:
- Write your goals down every single day. It forces you to focus on what you want. There is too much going on around us to keep goals in our head. Write them and don’t stop writing them. Make them totally outrageous. Better to shoot too high then too low.
- Ignore the critics. People will try to discourage you, tell you that you’re nuts, blah, blah, blah. Ignore it. Stay focused, prove them wrong. I have a “you’re crazy” rule. If three or more people tell me I’m crazy for trying something, I go after it even harder. Screw ‘em.
- Take action on the goals. Writing them down is great, taking actions on them makes them happen. It’s all about execution.
- Surround yourself with winners. It’s the power of proximity. Who you hang around, you become. Find people who have success, who know how to win, and do what they do. Pick their brains. Hang around with slugs, you become a slug. Good energy is contagious.
- Never, ever, ever give up. No matter what.
- Don’t be afraid to take a risk. Most people won’t try something because they fear failure or rejection. Frankly, the greatest successes in the world have experienced a great deal of both. You want to win? You have to try.
- If you can do it, hire a coach. A credible one. There are so many “life and business coaches” plastering social media with their junk. Vet the right one and make sure they have a great track record of success. The right coach will be supportive while at the same time hold you accountable for results.
- Work your ass off.
- Regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve your mental health. It has a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc. One of my favorite sayings from Tony Robbins is “Emotion is created by motion”. Get your body moving.
- Wear good cologne. You can’t “get lucky” wearing Old Spice.
Those are my top ten. I could probably list ten more (including “obsess about your goals”). I am sure there are other “lucky” people out there who will read this. I am interested in hearing some of your tips. Please reach out to me to discuss or share.
– Tony Capullo
