--- title: How to Attract Good Luck: 4 Secrets Backed by Research description: Trust your intuition canonical: https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-21T04:01:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:43:16.486Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How To Attract Good Luck: 4 Secrets Backed by Research og:description: Trust your intuition og:url: https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How To Attract Good Luck: 4 Secrets Backed by Research twitter:description: Trust your intuition twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # How to Attract Good Luck: 4 Secrets Backed by Research ## Video: The Nantucket Project: How Storytelling is Getting in The Way of Your Success [Watch (HLS stream): The Nantucket Project: How Storytelling is Getting in The Way of Your Success](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/HSYDj99Q.m3u8) (17:44)  _Published 2015-02-17. The Nantucket Project: How Storytelling is Getting in The Way of Your Success_ by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jul 21, 2015 4:01 AM UTC by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jul 21, 2015 4:01 AM UTC Ever had a run of bad luck? It feels like the world is actively conspiring against you. Ever wonder if you can improve your luck? And I don’t mean with voodoo or magic crystals. Turns out somebody has done scientific research on luck. So I gave him a call. [Richard Wiseman](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) is a professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and the bestselling author of many books including: [Luck Factor](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). (His excellent YouTube channel is [here](https://www.youtube.com/user/Quirkology).) Richard studied over 1000 people. And, yes, it turns out some people are very unlucky. Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- Ouch. Can you change your luck? Yes, you can. Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- Richard ran a series of experiments he called “Luck School” and taught unlucky people how to act more like lucky people do. The result? Via [Luck Factor](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- And not only were they luckier afterward, tests results showed they were also _happier_. Okay, so you don’t want the church to burn down before your wedding day. Want to go to “Luck School”? Here’s what Richard said about how you can get lucky… ## 1) Maximize Opportunities It makes intuitive sense: if you lock yourself in your house, how many exciting, serendipitous things are going to happen to you? Not many. In his book [Luck Factor](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20), Richard wrote: “Lucky people create, notice, and act upon the chance opportunities in their lives.” Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- Certain personality types are luckier because they tend to create scenarios that maximize opportunities and thereby increase luck. Who is more lucky? * People who are extroverted: More time with others, more interesting possibilities. * People who aren’t neurotic: Tense, anxious people are less likely to notice and take advantage of opportunities. * People who are open to new experiences: If you resist the new, you’re probably not going to have many interesting things happen. And [research](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/05/overcome-regret/) shows that the old saying is true: “You regret most the things you did not do.” Over time, we tend to rationalize our failures. But we cannot rationalize away those things we never tried at all. So keep trying new things. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always gotten. (To learn how to make people like you, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/10/how-to-get-people-to-like-you/).) Okay, so you’re doing more stuff. Great. But what about when it comes time to make decisions? What can we learn from lucky people? ## 2) Listen To Hunches Lucky people act on their intuitions across many areas of their lives. Via [Luck Factor](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- And intuition isn’t magic. Research has shown it’s often valid. Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- Want to increase luck in your life? Go with your gut more often. (To learn the secret to being happier and more successful, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/).) So what mindset should you take toward life if you want a visit from Lady Luck? ## 3) Expect Good Fortune Plain and simple — it’s [optimism](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/07/how-to-be-optimistic/). You’re more likely to try new things, follow through on opportunities and have them succeed if you believe they’ll work out well. Via [Luck Factor](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- And that optimism gives lucky people more “[grit](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/01/grit/).” When you think things will work out, you persevere. And when you’re resilient, you give possibilities more time to work out in your favor. Skeptics might be shaking their heads right now: _But we all know people who aren’t just optimistic — they’re utterly deluded. Are you saying we should lie to ourselves?_ Um… kinda. Turns out that while pessimists [do see the world more accurately](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/07/how-to-be-optimistic/), optimists are more likely to be lucky because those delusions push them toward opportunities. Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- You heard that right: research shows that _good luck charms work_. Via [The Courage Quotient: How Science Can Make You Braver](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470917423/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470917423&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- A number of studies have shown that being a little deluded does bring benefits: * Superstitions can be [performance enhancing](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-superstition-actually-increase-performan). * Wishing someone luck [makes them do better](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-someone-wishing-you-luck-really-improve-y). * Irrational overconfidence [increases productivity and improves teamwork](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-confident-should-you-be-at-work-today). * “Self-deception has been associated with [stress reduction, a positive self-bias, and increased pain tolerance, all of which could enhance motivation and performance during competitive tasks](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-self-deception-one-of-the-keys-to-optimal).” The world can be hard. Sometimes life feels random. But research shows [feeling you have some control](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/what-can-you-do-to-eliminates-stress/) — even if you don’t — is powerful. (To learn how Navy SEALs develop grit and never give up, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/01/grit/).) But what happens when things still go wrong? What should you do when you’re acting like a lucky person but bad luck still whacks you in the face? ### 5 Horrible Habits You Need to Stop Right Now  Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item. Chris Pecoraro—Getty Images  Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'” Sam Edwards—Getty Images/Caiaimage  Do Not Check Email Constantly Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help. Jetta Productions—Getty Images  Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7 At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit. by nacoki ( MEDIA ARC )—Getty Images/Flickr RF  Do Not Let People Ramble Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally. Reza Estakhrian—Getty Images ## 4) Turn Bad Luck Into Good Lucky people aren’t always lucky — but they handle adversity differently than unlucky people. Via [Luck Factor](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099443244/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0099443244&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): * Lucky people see the positive side of their bad luck. * Lucky people are convinced that any ill fortune in their lives will, in the long run, work out for the best. * Lucky people do not dwell on their ill fortune. * Lucky people take constructive steps to prevent more bad luck in the future. How do you respond to disappointment? Giving up, getting gloomy and locking yourself in the house won’t help the world offer you better opportunities. Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- Find the silver lining behind the cloud. And don’t assume there’s a cloud behind every silver lining. (To learn how to overcome regret, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/05/overcome-regret/).) Let’s round this all up and learn the final (and most important) benefit of believing in luck. ## Sum Up Here’s what Richard had to say about how to attract good luck: 1. **Maximize Opportunities:** Keep trying new things. 2. **Listen To Hunches:** Especially if it’s an area where you have some experience, trust your intuition. 3. **Expect Good Fortune:** Be an optimist. A little delusion can be good. 4. **Turn Bad Luck Into Good:** Don’t dwell on the bad. Look at the big picture. So maybe you’re still a skeptic. Even if luck is real, you don’t want to give in to delusion. Give it a shot anyway. There are other benefits. A little delusion can improve relationships. People with positive illusions about their significant other are [more satisfied, score higher on love and trust and have fewer problems](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-there-a-connection-between-love-and-delusi). In fact, believing in luck might actually make you more fun. Via [The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594630879/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594630879): --- > “” --- In the relatively brief time Richard spent with his test subjects he experienced a similar thing first-hand. People who feel they are lucky are more charismatic. It felt good to be around them. Here’s Richard: --- > “” --- So put a good luck charm in your pocket. It looks like science is telling us that believing in luck might not only be the best way to be deluded, it might also be the key to a better life. And if you enjoyed this post, share it with friends. We could all use some good luck. :) **Join over 195,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/07/how-to-attract-good-luck/)**_._** Related posts: [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/) [How To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior Expert](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/10/how-to-get-people-to-like-you/) [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/) _Read next:_ [_How To Engineer Serendipity_](http://time.com/3951029/engineer-serendipity/?iid=time%5Freadnext) [_Download TIME’s mobile app for iOS to have your world explained wherever you go_](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/time-mobile/id328218429) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/"},"headline":"How to Attract Good Luck: 4 Secrets Backed by Research","datePublished":"2015-07-21T04:01:34.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:43:16.486Z","description":"Trust your intuition","url":"https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/","keywords":["Psychology","Research"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/","name":"How to Attract Good Luck: 4 Secrets Backed by Research"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"The Nantucket Project: How Storytelling is Getting in The Way of Your Success","description":"The Nantucket Project: How Storytelling is Getting in The Way of Your Success","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/HSYDj99Q/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-02-17T21:10:40.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/HSYDj99Q.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/","duration":"PT17M44S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3964413/attract-good-luck-tips/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```