Seneca Evolution

Luck is a place where Planning meets Opportunity.

That was a phrase writ large on a flipchart at the start on one of my first ever days of solution sales training.

It has become core to my approach.

I do believe in Luck, as such, as part of this critical equation. To the extent that I feel truly a lucky person. In the sense though, that I do not believe in 'luck', as in a substitute for fate. For I demonstrably possess an 'internal locus of control'. Meaning you must make things happen, rather than they just happen to you.

I've since learned this comes (perhaps) from the Roman philosopher, Seneca.

His words, slightly different;

Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity.

Other citations bring in the concept of 'intersection'.

In either case, the point is clear; you make your own luck.

I mulled upon this as I saw the last sentence of a piece assessing the driving forces behind an English football club's success lately.

The journalist concerned signed-off;

Preparation plus luck equals destiny.

An interesting deviation, I thought.

If you swapped out the superfluity of 'planning', you'd really be on to something.

Commitment. That was the first construct that sprang to my mind.

Then others, such as in the continuous improvement mould of evolution, revolution or merely invention.

The above headline which bore this concluding phrase cited 'science and rigour'. Later references evoked 'charisma, organisational skills and the belief instilled'.

In whichever case, for us in our B2B world, we too seek our destiny. Luck plus-something simple can pave the way to riches in our arena of small margins. Do you know what will unlock this for you?