The Good Luck

By Rolando José Olivo

Good and bad luck are very powerful beliefs that are deeply rooted within the modern culture, as a result of multiple practical, religious and superstitious ideas, that have evolved throughout history.

However, is good luck a matter of superstitions, random circumstances or attitudes and skills? Is there good luck?

Considering that the superstitious thought is proper of the human being, it can be debated whether good luck is a matter exclusively of superstitions, random circumstances or personal attitudes and skills, or if it depends on all these factors (being some more important than others, or if almost all of these are mainly influenced by random circumstances). Likewise, it is obvious that this position of the majority of scientists, academics and researchers (backed by Judeo-Christian beliefs) is correct: there is no luck.

Therefore, it is everyone's responsibility to be aware that good and bad luck are inventions of the human mind (which try to justify inexplicable and uncontrollable events), make the best decisions, and act correctly, in order to have a satisfactory life, achieving various personal and professional goals.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rolando José Olivo
• Release date: Jan 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463553268

Rolando José Olivo

[e-mail] Instagram: @rolandojolivo Systems Engineer with 3 postgraduate degrees: Master's Degree in Applied Economics, Diploma in General Management and Specialization in Management of Social Programs (Summa Cum Laude). Work experience in companies in the oil sector, occupying these positions: Planning and Logistics Manager, Project Coordinator, Financial Advisor and Consultant. Consultant in the economic and financial area. Writer of books on economics, management, self-help, novels and Christianity, among others.

Book preview

I. INTRODUCTION

Many people think incessantly about good and bad luck. These beliefs are deeply rooted within the modern culture, being a result of multiple practical, religious and superstitious ideas, which have been evolving progressively throughout history.

In addition, it is difficult to define what luck is. The Royal Spanish Academy assigns multiple concepts to this idea (in short): a) chain of incidental or casual events, b) favorable or adverse circumstances, c) the same favorable luck, d) coincidences, e) what happens or may occur for good or bad, f) state or condition, g) means used to guess what will come next, etc.

Although luck is treated as a deity, force, mysterious energy or expression that determines good and bad circumstances, academics, scientists and researchers deny its existence. Nonetheless, some of them have constructed definitions in order to explain this notion, invented by the human mind.

The following conceptions about good luck stand out:

a) it is the successful combination of various factors (fate, conditions, personal fortune, chance, knowledge, circumstances and talent), which manifest themselves in certain situations, according to the psychotherapist Jorge Bucay,

b) it is a particular mental state (a way of thinking and acting), according to the psychologist Richard Wiseman.

In this regard, the objective of this publication is to provide answers to these questions:

Is good luck a matter of superstitions, random circumstances or attitudes and skills?

Is there good luck?

In that sense, in the Chapter II. Good Luck and Superstitions, it is analyzed if good luck is an exclusive matter of superstitious beliefs, distinguishing these aspects: a) the superstitious thought is proper of the human being, which is accepted by religions, and rejected by Judaism and Christianity (II.1 The Superstitious and Religious Thought), b) the religious thought is based on the diurnal and nocturnal imaginary (II.2 The Background of Spiritual and Religious Thought), and c) the superstitions are also supported on pragmatic, imaginary and religious ideas (II.3 The Basis of Superstitions).

While in the Chapter III. Good Luck and Random Circumstances, it is evaluated if good luck depends only on random circumstances, emphasizing that: a) the characteristics of good luck are so mysterious and extraordinary that they generate multiple questions (III.1 The Problems of Good Luck), b) possibly, good luck is a holistic notion, according to the writer Bucay's approach (III.2 A Holistic Perspective of Good Luck), and c) can random circumstances dominate and lead the good luck? (III.3 The Unpredictable Uncertainty).

In the Chapter IV. Good Luck, Attitudes and Skills, it is examined if good luck is a matter exclusively of personal attitudes and skills, standing out these topics: a) the results of a study about the luck that lasted ten years (IV.1 The Research of Dr. Wiseman), b) how do resilient qualities influence over good luck, in accordance with the conclusions of professor Wiseman's investigation? (IV.2 Good Luck and Resilience), and c) a tale about triumph related with personal merits (even facing adversities), refuting the existence of luck, which is confirmed and ratified in the Judeo-Christian beliefs (IV.3 A Story of Good, Bad and Good Luck).

In the next chapters (V. Conclusions and VI. Recommendations) the final ideas and guidelines are exposed, in concordance with the previous questions (Is good luck a matter of superstitions, random circumstances or attitudes and skills? Is there good luck?), indicating that the supposed good luck is not exclusive of superstitions, random circumstances or personal attitudes and abilities (rather it seems that it depends on all these factors), and endorsing the notions of Bucay and Wiseman. However, the luck is only an invention of the human imagination. Therefore, it is not a relevant matter