My philosophy on luck is this: any luck that exists is the luck you bring to the table. Sitting around waiting for great things to happen to you is a sure path to failure.
One of the things I have seen time and time again in this industry is people always wanting the "magic wand" or "silver bullet." It doesn't exist.
No one thing is going to make your business better: no one magazine or blog feature, no one workshop, no one website design, no one A-list celebrity client. If anyone promises you that you can build your business by being lazy or without having to work hard, they are flat out lying. It's amazing what you can accomplish when having a non-revenue generating business is simply not an option.
My friend and destination wedding planner Ali Phillips always jokes that she is going to start a workshop called, "How to Make Money the Old Fashioned Way: By Working Your Ass Off."
If there are any secrets to success in business, that one is it. Take advantage of opportunities when they come your way. Check your pride at the door. Things may not get easier, but you'll find that you suddenly have a lot more "luck."
Originally published November 2010
