I’ve Won Two Prizes In Two Months – Am I Just Lucky?

I started this website at the very end of January 2010 and have won TWO things from people since then. Previously in my life, I had never won anything in any kind of contest or drawing. So why has it happened twice now? Is this some silly coincidence – or is there something more to why it happened?

I remember when I was in elementary school – there was a contest to win a stuffed animal for my class. I really wanted it. I closed my eyes and wished for it to be mine. I would cuddle the thing and it would solve all my problems. As the winner was announced, and it wasn’t me, I sighed, wondering why I never won anything.

Or there is the company party where everyone is crammed into a room packed like sardines, eagerly awaiting to hear their ticket number to win that Plasma TV on display. Heck, I’ll take the toaster, just let me win something! Any of this sound familiar to you? If you’ve ever thought, “Why don’t I ever frickin’ win anything?” then you are not alone. As my name has never been called at any company party to win something, and the stuffed animal eluded my grasp as a kid, I quietly reflect on what it really takes – and means – to win a prize.

Following the crowd and going after luck

There’s plenty of ways to get lucky. There’s casinos (usually filled with smoke – even if you get lucky, you breathed in harmful chemicals :)), lottery tickets, BINGO, company parties, lottery tickets, picking random stocks to buy, asking woman after woman to go out with you, and finally, lottery tickets. All of these methods are simple. In some cases, you are purchasing something and hoping it brings you something back far greater. In other cases, you just show up and hope for the best. In either case, the effort on your part is just a smidge of time and VERY little thought.

So I have to ask you – yes you who are reading this and have tried these techniques – how’s that going for you? Maybe one of you has actually won something using the aforementioned methods. But I doubt it. I’ll be surprised if I get anyone who has had success wishing for luck this way – and the reasons are two: 1. It’s dumb easy to try it this way and 2. Everyone else and their dog, cat, goldfish, and lizards are doing it!

Break from the crowd and create your own luck

This is where I tell you that following the crowd will rarely bring you luck. And that doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing will give you a far greater chance of finding luck. And even more effective than doing the opposite of everyone – actively seeking out your own luck with those who can bring it to you.

Winning a month of free marketing consultation. Brandi Grays, a marketing consultant, had a contest on her website for one month of free marketing consultation for your small business. Simply email her and await a response. It was easy to enter and the list of people I was competing against for her time was FAR less than a lottery ticket. I found her through proactively looking for marketing information on the web.

Winning a free book, sent to my house. Sam from FinancialSamurai.com, is a recent acquaintance (at the time of this article), and he had a contest to win a book called, The Snark Handbook: A Reference Guide to Verbal Sparring. Entering required just a few minutes of my time and again, the competition was probably orders of magnitude less than a lottery ticket. I was notified I won the book and I look forward to reading it.

I believe the reason for this luck is very simple. And it is that I am actively contributing to the lives of other people. That’s it really. I am trying to add value to others. And not just a select few – everyone I come in contact with me becomes a candidate for service. If I can offer something – even a small thing – I will try to add it.

What will you do to create your own luck?

UPDATE!

I’m entering a contest to win a netbook on Couple Money’s website – only a few hundred people will be in I reckon. I will update here whether I win it or not! :) The link for the contest is here (it’s free to enter, you just need to subscribe to her feed and link to her on twitter, facebook, or your blog): Couple Money netbook giveaway.

Will you continue to try your luck with wishful thinking methods? Or will you actively network with people, help contribute, add value, hustle with all your strength to create your dreams, and create your own luck? I believe that your unique contributions to others greatly increase your luck in ways you cannot see. So what are you waiting for? You’ve got your own luck to create now!

C’mon, have you really won anything gambling (casinos or lettery tickets)? What have you gained in your life when you’ve added value and contribution to others? Compare these two approaches and ponder.