Home
>
Success
>
Bad Luck, Bad Choices, and Bad Habits

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.

green cleaning service Park Ridge ..

In The News:

A groundbreaking new study has uncovered disturbing AI blackmail behavior that many people are unaware of yet.

Four teams of autonomous humanoid robots competed in China's first AI soccer tournament, demonstrating advanced capabilities in ball detection and independent decision-making.

The ID. Buzz autonomous van features self-driving technology with 13 cameras, nine LiDAR units and five radars after Volkswagen partnered with Hamburg and Uber for 2026 deployments.

Social Security phishing scams use urgency and impersonation to steal personal data. Learn how to spot fake SSA emails and implement 10 protective measures.

French startup Pazzi Robotics created an AI-powered pizza robot that made pies in under five minutes without human help, but it closed in 2022 despite patents and expert partnerships.

Reclaim your time from big tech with effective screen time reduction strategies for iPhone and Android, featuring steps to limit app usage and create phone-free zones.

Amazon Prime Day shoppers face threats from 120,000-plus scam websites as cybercriminals prepare phishing traps and malware ahead of the July sales event.

Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.

The AEON humanoid robot tackles labor challenges with Nvidia AI, Microsoft Azure cloud and advanced spatial awareness, working alongside industry leaders Schaeffler and Pilatus.

Google's Ask Photos feature brings AI-powered searches to your photo library, letting you find memories with natural language queries while maintaining privacy controls.

The return of blue book exams emerges as universities fight widespread AI academic dishonesty and educators debate whether to ban AI tools or teach responsible usage.

Signs your phone might be hacked include strange behavior, unauthorized texts, battery drain and pop-ups, while protection involves updating software and avoiding public Wi-Fi.

Tokyo startup H2L has launched Capsule Interface technology enabling full-body robot control with muscle sensors, offering immersive remote operation.

The A.I. industry seems set for growing pains as Big Tech companies scramble for solutions to the medium's unprecedented strain on the power grid.

Fourth of July fireworks cause a 60% spike in lost pets, but GPS trackers and AI photo-matching services like Love Lost can help reunite missing dogs with their families.

Protect yourself from jugging, the rising crime by which thieves monitor ATM users and follow them to steal cash, with six practical safety tips to stay alert and secure.

U.S. airlines like Delta, American and United are selling your domestic flight records to government agencies through the little-known Travel Intelligence Program.

Autonomous robots from Uber Eats are rolling out across U.S. cities, featuring LIDAR sensors, secure compartments and all-weather operation for food and grocery delivery.

Costco has expanded into EV infrastructure with new ultra-fast charging stations that can charge most electric vehicles to 80% in 20-60 minutes while shoppers browse the warehouse.

The new Gemini Robotics On-Device AI allows robots to perform complex tasks without internet, offering enhanced privacy, reliability and adaptability for real-world use.

Protect yourself from Amazon phishing scams by spotting red flags like suspicious sender addresses and spelling errors while using Amazon's Message Center to verify communications.

GAC Group's new Govy AirCab flying car combines lightweight design with advanced safety systems and smart cabin technology to revolutionize city travel with an 18.6-mile range.

The Berkeley Humanoid Light (BHL) is a lightweight, open source humanoid robot that anyone can build using 3D-printed parts and off-the-shelf components.

Meta’s new AI chatbot is getting personal, and it might be sharing more than you realize.

A new threat targets both Android and iPhone users: SparkKitty, a powerful mobile malware strain that scans private photos to steal cryptocurrency recovery phrases and other sensitive data.