Bad Luck | Transform Bad Luck Into a New Perspective (2024)

People have been asking themselves, “Why do I have bad luck?” since the beginning of time. Various cultures use shamrocks, rabbits feet, horseshoes and jade to ward off bad luck. We recite sayings and prayers. We avoid the number 13. We participate in odd superstitions: Tiger Woods always wore red shirts on the last day of a major. Serena Williams bounces the ball exactly five times before her first serve. Jennifer Aniston taps the outside of the plane before a flight.

Even with humankind’s stunning advances in science and technology, the idea of bad luck sticks around. It’s deeply ingrained in the human psyche as a way to make sense of the world. Our brains crave explanations, and sometimes “bad luck” is the only one that fits. But if you’re always wondering, “Why do I have such bad luck?,” it might be time to reexamine your own decisions and shift your mindset to a more empowering perspective.

Why do I have bad luck?

It can seem like some people have really bad luck. Tsutomu Yamaguchi was unlucky enough to be in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the times the atomic bombs were dropped. Costis Mitsotakis was the only man in his town who wasn’t asked to chip in for a winning lottery ticket – missing out on a lifetime of financial freedom. Ann Hodges is the only person who has ever been struck by a meteorite.

The odds of these events happening are impossibly low. Whatever you want to call it – misfortune, bad luck or the random workings of the universe – sometimes bad things do just happen. But when most people wonder, “Why do I have bad luck?” they’re experiencing relatively normal life events: They can’t find fulfilling work and end up shuffling between jobs, or they’ve started a business that can’t seem to get off the ground. They’ve been dating for years but haven’t met the right person, or they fall in love but their relationships implode.

Sound familiar? In these cases, questions like “Why do I have bad luck with everything?” are on the wrong track. You need to ask yourself the right questions: How do my own actions and beliefs affect my so-called luck? What can I do differently to create the life I desire and deserve?

Costis Mitsotakis – the man who missed out on millions – didn’t dwell on his own bad luck. A filmmaker, he seized the opportunity to make a documentary about his lottery-winning village. He says he wouldn’t change a thing. He knew that the ultimate outcome of his life was up to him.

How to get rid of bad luck

“Some people have all the luck.” Have you ever had this thought? It’s time to get rid of it once and for all. Those people aren’t blessed by luck – they have made conscious decisions to do these nine things.

1. Believe you control your life

Successful people know that the answer to “Why do I have such bad luck?” doesn’t matter, because they control their own destinies. They have a growth mindset and believe that change is possible. They take responsibility for their lives – and believe that they alone can make it a masterpiece. This is called having an internal locus of control, and it’s essential to turning your luck around.

2. Recognize your need for growth

We’re all driven by Six Human Needs – certainty, significance, variety, love/connection, growth and contribution – that affect all of our decisions. If you feel you’re stagnating in a sea of bad luck, get back on track by recognizing and fulfilling your deep human need for growth. As Tony says, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying” – and so-called bad luck will only get worse.

3. Change your story

When you blame your problems on bad luck, you’re telling yourself a story about your life that is disempowering. You get stuck in a cycle of limiting beliefs that prevent you from taking action. You may even believe you deserve bad luck. To break the cycle, you must change your story to one that is based on empowering beliefs.

4. Focus on success

Where focus goes, energy flows. If you focus on failure, you’re likely to get more of the same. If you focus on success – even if you haven’t experienced it yet – that’s what you’ll manifest in your life. Tony sums it up: “Whatever you consistently think about and focus upon you move toward.” Use techniques like goal visualization to condition your brain for success, not failure.

5. Stop negative thought patterns

How do you react when bad things happen? Do you let it affect your mindset, bringing down your mood and getting stuck in negative thought patterns like “Why do I have bad luck with everything?” It doesn’t have to. Learn how to recognize and interrupt these patterns, replacing them with positive words and thoughts instead. When you change your words, you change your life.

6. See problems as gifts

When bad things happen to successful people, they don’t ask “Why do I have bad luck?” They ask, “What’s the lesson here?” Tony tells us that “Every problem is a gift – without problems we would not grow.” Shift your perspective and begin to see obstacles as opportunities for growth This attitude is essential if you want to turn your luck around.

7. Practice gratitude

When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears. A state of total gratitude cannot coexist with negative emotions, which is what makes it such a powerful tool to change bad luck. When you choose to focus on the abundance in your life instead of what’s missing, you’ll feel happier and more fulfilled. And happy, fulfilled people don’t waste their time wondering, “Why do I have such bad luck?”

8. Face your fears

The only way to stop bad luck and transform it into positive energy is to commit to overcoming your fears. Are you afraid of failure in business? Afraid of vulnerability in love? Afraid of what others will think of you? These fears aren’t the result of bad luck – they are the cause of it. Find the source of these fears and you’ll create a breakthrough in your luck.

9. Take massive action

You can bet that Tiger Woods and Serena Williams didn’t sit around thinking “Why do I have such bad luck?” after experiencing setbacks. They got back up and set even bigger goals. Took bigger risks. Made tough decisions and had an unstoppable belief in themselves. They never even considered bad luck – they took action.