Are you ready to get lucky?

I shared this with my team this morning. The picture is described as follows: Title: Crash Dive of a Kingfisher Description: Photographer took the perfect picture of diving kingfisher after six years and 720,000 shots to get it right. Photographer: Mario Cea Sanchez —- Before your skeptical minds kick in, here is the description of how it was taken: www.nhm.ac.uk/…/special-award-peop…/5140/the-blue-trail.html —- Think about it. 6 years trying to get the perfect shot. 720,000 shots to sift through that weren’t good enough. Finally, luck met all of the skill, focus, determination, and hard work. A work of art was captured. The photographer could have been lucky on the first day. By chance choose the right shutter and flash speed. By luck pressed the shutter button at just the right time. But luck is a fickle thing. We do not control luck. We can only be prepared to meet it. You may be asking questions about your present and future. Some of your hopes will be achieved by hard work. Most of what will be accomplished will be because you have focused on mastering your systems, refining your processes, becoming a master of your days, focusing on innovating, taking care of and empowering others, and being absolutely ready to take advantage of every opportunity presented to you. Luck could find you today, but would you be ready? Luck could be waiting 6 months down the road. Will you be ready to meet it? Luck could be years away. Can you persist intentionally? The other thing about luck is that it shows up where you are, but not always how you expect it. Preparation and openness will find you in the best spot possible to take advantage of not only the familiar but also the new and unexpected. When you think the small things can be skipped, when there are projects that keep being kicked down the road, when you are frustrated with the way that strategy and operations require intentionality, remember that these are part of the development of your skills, your focus, your hard work, and your determination. They will make you ready for not just the everyday opportunities, but also for when it is your “lucky day”. What are you doing today to be ready?   Christopher M. White Managing Partner