How to get lucky

A timeless classic from the author of The Zurich Axioms .

What do you want from life? Whatever your goals, have you achieved them? Almost all of us would have to answer no, we haven't achieved our goals yet. And why not? Apply the question to your own life. What's stopped you from getting where you want to be? Are you not good enough? Or are you simply unlucky? You probably wouldn't read a book called How to Get Lucky if your answer wasn't the latter.

Many people believe we are born lucky or unlucky. And to achieve greater fortune in life, those with bad luck resort to amulets, prayers, and astrology—even in professional settings, where these resources are ridiculed by many. However, Max Gunther—author of The Zurich Axioms —shows that to achieve good luck in business, all you need to do is follow thirteen simple techniques, derived not from theories without practical application in reality, but from direct observations of the lives of real men and women.

According to Gunther, the real reason some individuals are luckier than others is simple: they organize their lives according to a philosophy that allows good fortune to influence their destiny. They also act at the right time and know how to change their position or opinion when they recognize they were wrong. In short: when they realize the ship is sinking, they don't waste time praying and jump overboard.

How to Be Lucky explores these and many other ideas about good fortune. Arguing that luck is composed of a set of random factors beyond our control, and rejecting the notion that wealth can be built solely through hard work, Gunther shares techniques and tips that will put you on the path to life's good opportunities while minimizing the effects of adversity.