Do you believe that a great life is a matter of luck?
It’s always easier to say that others are lucky instead of admitting to ourselves that we are just afraid to take a risk, which would lead us to a better (more “lucky”) life.
All of us have dreams. Unfortunately, our need for security is so strong. So we find ourselves stuck in the same place longer than we would like.
And so we wait there for a lucky miracle to save us. Staying in our comfort zone and remaining passive.
Whether it’s a good or bad decision, it doesn’t matter. Way worse is not to make any at all.
The truth is that we create more “luck” by being proactive.
How I Got “LUCK(Y)”
Let me share a bit of my story: how a Czech girl named Mili moved to a paradise and, by pure “luck,” found herself and her purpose in teaching surfing.
Lucky or not?
It’s usually not a very straight path. But I believe that everything happens for a reason. Our path unfolds one moment at a time as we go through life. Often, we understand the bigger picture as time passes.
The opportunity to go and work in Scotland didn’t fall into my lap. I had to take the risk and put myself in the uncomfortable situation of an English interview, where I failed. This is painful for someone obsessed with perfection.
I had to be willing to study more, improve my English level, and risk failing again. Luckily, I succeeded, and I was accepted.
Another lucky moment came when I landed in Faro eight years ago. Or did I have to take an uncomfortable step to quit my job first and take the risk of moving alone to an unknown place?
I had to be willing to try something I hadn’t done before.
I, indeed, didn’t become a confident surf coach overnight. I don’t consider myself to be talented in communication, either. I was full of doubts and felt way out of my comfort zone.
The skills didn’t come to me naturally. I had to keep showing up every day, despite the uncomfortable feeling of standing in front of a group of people and teaching them something I had learned not so long ago.
It’s the willingness to show up, even if I don’t have all the answers to the questions I was asked. Lucky or not, I was determined to find them.
How can I live in this beautiful place? Did someone just come to me and tell me, Here is the house; you can have it?
Far away from that. I had to give up my comfort for over a year.
Am I talented enough in languages to pick up Portuguese easily?
Nope. I had to be willing to sit at the table full of Portuguese, feeling uncomfortable because I didn’t understand anything until I got “lucky.”. I could get the meaning of their conversation (at least, I thought). I had to take the risk of being wrong many times.
Lucky or not?
It all comes down to expanding our comfort zone and taking risks.
When people look at my current lifestyle, they might think I’m lucky. Or maybe now they can understand that all my luck comes down to being willing to take those risks, having the courage to face uncertainty, and taking action.
It can start with really tiny steps that seem to be meaningless. But those small steps can lead to great things.
Now comes the time to ask yourself.
What risks are you willing to take?
Without taking any, you might find yourself stuck in the same place a few years from now.
I can see now that I have had life coaching on my list for many years, and I haven’t started yet because I haven’t taken many risks in this direction yet. This will change this year! I’m willing to make myself uncomfortable. It’s the only way to get ourselves moving.
What about you?
Inspired by a beautiful TEDx talk by Tina Seeling