How to Make Your Own "Luck"

by Mike Walter

Many people have said to me through the years, “You’re really lucky to have the staff that you have.” And while I usually nod and thank them, inside I’m actually a little insulted. I think to myself, “luck has very little to do with it.”

I’ll give you an example. I did a wedding in June of 2000 for Phil and Sarah Walsh. When I met them a month before the wedding to go over details for their reception we got to talking about their careers.

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The Potential DJ

They’re both teachers but Phil also mentioned he did landscaping during the summer to help make ends meet. Phil’s a good looking guy, well spoken and, as I found out at his wedding, a really good dancer.

I mentioned to Phil in that month-before meeting that he’d make a great DJ. I told him not to give it another thought till he got back from his honeymoon but sure enough at the wedding itself he asked me if I’d been serious about it. I told him “Yes” and then I made him this promise: “Within a year you could give up landscaping.”

As you can imagine, Phil Walsh took me up on my offer. He came in as a mixer, trained with me to become an MC and as I write this, he is one of my many DJs who have been with me for over ten years.

He’s a great talent with tons of experience and as I predicted, he was able to give up landscaping. DJing pays better and there’s air conditioning.

Where Does Luck Enter the Equation?

So, back to my original point. Was I lucky to DJ Phil’s wedding? Yes. But after that, my plan of looking for potential DJs in every walk of my life took over. I took action and it paid off for me.

I would argue that we’re all this lucky from time to time. I’d bet any DJ who’s been doing this for long enough has done a wedding for a Groom or a Bride who had the potential to be a great DJ. So you’ve had the same luck I’ve had.

But did you have a plan and did you take action? Maybe, maybe not. And if not, that’s OK. Based on my theory, it’ll happen again to you soon. Next time, you’ll take action.

So, reducing anyone’s success in any field of life or career to mere “luck” is not only a little insulting to that person (because it down-plays their own initiative) but it can be dangerous as well.

If it’s all about luck than we have no direct influence on our own lives. We might as well just buy lottery tickets every day and wait till our numbers come up.

Of course, I’m exaggerating here but my point is about empowerment.

Empower Your Own Success

If you look at your company right now as it exists today, and you chalk everything up to luck (good or bad), you are denying yourself the direct connection between you and your actions – and your level of success. And you shouldn’t do that.

You should own every one of your successes just like you should own every one of your failures. When you do that, and when you truly believe it and it’s not just something you say, then and only then will you begin to start working for what you want to get out of life.

After all, if it’s all about luck then you can always look in the mirror and say “it’s not your fault.” But when you take luck out of the equation, then the guy or gal looking back at you in mirror is the only one who gets the credit and the blame. It’s a scarier way to live, but it’s also far more rewarding when you accomplish things.

So, are you just lucky or do you make your own luck?

Mike Walter – Multi-Op Corner

Mike Walter is a nationally recognized expert in the areas of DJ staff training and multi-system business development. He is also a writer for Disc Jockey News and Producer of the International DJ Expo’s “DJ of the Year” competition. Mike is the owner of NJ’s Elite Entertainment, selected by The Knot and Modern Bride magazine as one of the country’s top entertainment companies. Mike’s highly praised DVD set is available at TrainingYourNextGreatDJ.com. To contact him about his on-site training services or for general inquiries, email [email protected].