Bad Luck, Bad Choices, and Bad Habits

We were at some friend's house the other day and the wife mentioned some other acquaintances of ours.

"It sure is too bad, all the bad luck they have," she said.

My first thought was, "Bad habits, not bad luck."

My second thought was, "Or is it bad choices?"

You see, there is a difference. What we many times call bad luck is merely bad choices.

Let me explain:

If you work hard, buy a new car, keep it up with regular maintenance and blow a tire driving down the road, that is bad luck.

However, if you drive on your tires until they are almost bald and drive at speeds higher than they are recommended for, and keep them at the wrong inflation level, and then the tire blows, that is not bad luck but bad choices. The tire blew because you chose not to buy new ones. The tire blew because you chose not to take the time to check your tire inflation level the last time you filled up the tank.

It is bad luck to leave your house on vacation and while you are away the gas line breaks and the house blows up.

It is bad habits to not tend to taking care of your house, replacing the roof, painting, etc until it is a junk pile. It is bad luck to be let go from a company that goes into meltdown because the CEO acted unethically and the stock tanks, forcing layoffs.

It is both bad choices and bad habits to be late to work everyday, display shoddy workmanship and have a bad attitude to the point that the boss fires you.

If you choose to frequent shady parts of town or risky establishments, and you get mugged, is that bad luck or bad choices?

You get the point.

How often do we call something bad luck when it is really the result of bad habits or bad choices?

This really boils down to a matter of ownership of our lives and actions. Do we take full responsibility for our lives or not? I know of a gentleman who was recently passed over for a job. It would have paid him $13,000 for a week's worth of work. The person who passed him over told me why. Knowing this gentleman, I said, "It is too bad, because with a few good choices, that guy could be living in a nice house, driving nice cars, and having very few financial problems."

What about you? Do you experience bad luck? Or bad habits? Or bad choices?

The next time you hear someone say, "He's down on his luck," perhaps you ought to ask, "Or is he down on his choices?" I have found that those who have good habits and make good choices tend to experience the best luck!

So, if you want a little good luck, make some good choices and develop some good habits.

"Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get." Ray Kroc

"When I work fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, I get lucky." Dr. Armand Hammer

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://chris-widener.inspiresyou.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

post construction cleaning Deerfield ..
In The News:

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.
Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.
Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.
Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.
Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.
Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.
Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.
Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.
Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

Success: Beware The Arrival Syndrome

There is a saying that goes something like this: Getting... Read More

Motivation By Desire

Many of us have lost sight of what we really... Read More

Measure Effort To Achieve Success!

Let's say you're moving forward in your efforts to achieve... Read More

Success: 10 Tips to Make Failure Work for You

1)Failure is normal.Everyone has faced failure. Some people talk about... Read More

Is Success About Money?

Success could be just about making money, but I think... Read More

Ever Find Yourself Saying I Want My Instant Money Now?

If that sounds like you, you're not alone. Everyone needs... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Friendly Competition

Friendly competition Get together with a group of like-minded friends... Read More

Opportunities for Success: A Nickel in the Road

Exercising is not one of my favorite pastimes but I... Read More

10 Universal Principles of Success

Success is not something that only a chosen few can... Read More

The Most Under Rated Method To Achieve Success!

The most under rated method to achieve success is: The... Read More

A Pyramid of Success

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a... Read More

Success At Any Time?

It goes without saying that we are unlikely to experience... Read More

Life Lesson--Be, Do, Have

This revelation hit me the other day while I was... Read More

So What is Success Anyway?

Well I'll tell you what it's not. Even thought many... Read More

The Role of Failure in Success

Does the thought of failure send a cold shiver down... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Delegate Your Life

Delegate your life If you're having problems finding the time... Read More

7 Essential Body Language Tips

The secrets of our body language have been around forever... Read More

The 8th Habit Covey Forgot - The Making of an Expert!

I could labor the idea but then that would only... Read More

Your Focus is the KEY to YOUR Success

Why do you need to know your focus when joining... Read More

High Energy Performance

One of the hallmarks of all successful and high achieving... Read More

Characteristics of Successful People

Each human being, who exists above the level of simple... Read More

Success Lessons from Baseball - Enthusiasm And Excitement Can Make The Difference

I remember, about 35 years ago, reading two books by... Read More

Enterprise Is Better than Ease

If we are involved in a project, how hard should... Read More

Why Balancing Your Polarity Can Make Life Better

Driven by cultural imperatives and inner promptings, we drive ourselves... Read More

I Just Did It!

I succeeded. I achieved my goal. I am successful. I... Read More

Airbnb cleaning service Bannockburn ..