On 6/8/1945, while working in Hiroshima, Tsutomu Yamaguchi was near the site of the first atomic bomb in wartime history. When it detonated, Yamaguchi survived but suffered severe burns and ruptured eardrums.
In the chaos following the explosion, he sought to return home for treatment. Ironically, Yamaguchi's hometown was Nagasaki – where, just three days later, the second atomic bomb was dropped. Once again, he was near the epicenter and survived with serious injuries.
As one of the few recognized hibakusha kep – a term for those who survived both atomic bombings – Tsutomu Yamaguchi lived a long and meaningful life. He passed away at age 93, after decades of activism for peace and nuclear disarmament.
Yamaguchi's story raises a question: Was he incredibly unlucky or, conversely, extremely lucky? The answer depends on perspective. This difference in interpreting life experiences shows that "luck" is not just an event, but also how people perceive and react to that event.
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Illustration: Flickr. |
Psychologist Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor, spent over 10 years researching individuals who identified as "very lucky" and "very unlucky". His conclusion revealed that the difference lies not in life circumstances, but in behavior and mental state.
Unlucky individuals often experience more anxiety. This anxiety causes them to focus too narrowly on their fears or immediate goals, thereby missing unexpected opportunities around them.
Conversely, lucky people typically have a more relaxed mental state, which helps them observe broadly, notice small cues, and flexibly adjust their plans.
For example, a more relaxed mood allows one to notice a 20 USD bill on the sidewalk, engage in a chance encounter at a cafe, or seize an unexpected opportunity contrary to initial plans.
Another key difference is proactive optimism. Individuals who believe social interactions will be positive often communicate openly, naturally, and easily create goodwill. This leads them to receive positive feedback from others, transforming expectations into actual results.
When risks become opportunities
Misfortune happens to everyone. However, "lucky" people do not view failure as an end. They consider risks temporary or as necessary lessons for the next time.
This quick recovery helps them avoid falling into a negative spiral – where a bad experience leads to pessimism, followed by subsequent poor decisions.
How to increase luck in everyday life
If luck can be partially created, people can certainly cultivate it through small changes.
Richard Wiseman suggests that monotony in daily routines significantly reduces the chance of encountering luck. When you always take the same route, meet the same group of people, and eat in the same place, the probability of new opportunities appearing is almost zero.
Simple adjustments like taking a different route home, lingering longer at a cafe, or striking up a conversation with a familiar face you have never spoken to can open up unexpected connections.
Another method is to train attention through a "luck journal". Recording one positive thing each evening helps the brain gradually get used to identifying opportunities, instead of focusing only on risks and shortcomings.
Ultimately, luck is not a blind belief that everything will always be good, but a form of "resilient expectation": believing that good things can happen and, if not, being flexible enough to keep moving forward.
Good fortune requires a bit of proactivity. There's an old joke about a man who prayed to God every night: "Please let me win the lottery". After many years, God finally replied, "I'm trying, but you have to buy a ticket".
Nhat Minh (According to Psychology Today)
