It Sure Is Lucky to Be Lucky
As I was recently sitting down with a couple, one of the spouses said something that struck me as interesting. "We've just been really lucky." Frankly, I couldn't have disagreed more. Fortunate? Yes. Blessed? Absolutely. But lucky? I don't think so.
Some context is in order. This couple is considering making some fairly drastic decisions, which will likely have many financial ripple effects. To gauge where they are financially, I began asking for more information. They have good-paying jobs in challenging fields. They don't have debt. They have money saved. They are proactive givers. Their monthly expenses are fairly conservative. They've done so many things well!
As we unpacked each item, I intentionally pointed out how these outcomes were not coincidental. Nobody is luckily debt-free. Nobody luckily has a good amount saved. Nobody luckily gives generously. Nobody luckily has a conservative living cost structure. These aren't circumstances of luck. Rather, they are the consequences of thousands of small but powerful decisions compounded over time.
It's funny how lucky we are when we live with intentionality, patience, and humility. This couple gets it! By the time we concluded our conversation, I wholeheartedly encouraged them to engage in this wildly disruptive idea. Not because it's wild, but because it matters. Their ideas are beyond counter-cultural, but it's where their meaning lies. Without even knowing it, every decision they've made for the past 5+ years has led them to this amazing and "lucky" place. I couldn't be more excited for them!
Are you "lucky?" If so, just know it's likely not luck. If you've been blessed and are in a position to make counter-cultural decisions that are potentially financially harmful, it just might be a result of thousands of previous wise choices. I'm not asking you to not be grateful. I'm asking you to look in the mirror and recognize that your decisions (even the small ones) have consequences. These consequences build up over time, weaving together a web of "good luck."
Today, I hope you're as "lucky" as this other couple. When you are, I hope you use the opportunity to make some wildly counter-cultural decisions in your pursuit of meaning.