Making your own luck.

Last night I got into a real train wreck of a thread, it certainly wasn't my intention, anyway, I'd like to pass on what I have found to be true in my career.

Most of it comes down to luck. Being at the right place at the right time is crucial. But a person can really stack the deck in their favor. There was a Naval Flight Surgeon, named Jim, that went through an Japanese Indoc class with several years ago, Naval Academy, a real stand up guy. I almost wish I had another sister so that he could have married into the family. We talked alot during the 3 years we were at the same base, and he told me the most important thing I've ever heard.

Here goes, I had just answered an add to apply to become an A&P instructor, part time, at the Navy Campus. Within a week I was up to my elbows in creating an A&P program, in addition to running an engine overhaul crew. I was talking to Jim about this, while he was helping me with my new computer, I barely knew how to turn it on, by the end of the evening I was dawning into the MS Word age. Anyway, I was telling him about how I had been chosen to get this program up to speed, and that I already had double the students needed to break even, so the school was going to be happy. I told him that I was lucky to be the instructor, and how most of the people didn't want the job, or didn't even apply. Here is what he told me.........

"John, you make most of your own luck, good or bad"

That hit me like a ton of bricks....gold bricks......gold bricks delivered by dancing girls.......you get the idea. Opportunities do knock, but you have to be at the right place at the right time. There might be a million people more quallified than you, but if you are prepared, at the right time, you might get lucky, too. No, you WILL get lucky, too. Maybe on the first try, maybe on the 100th, it might take years, but it will happen.

In October of 2000, NASA was looking for a person to work their QA program for the Space Shuttle. I put my package together, and sent it to them, knowing full well that there are 1 million better qualified people than myself. BUT I WASN'T GOING TO LET THAT STOP ME FROM TRYING. I got as far as their Director of Personall at the Cape. He took 10 minutes of his day to talk with me. I didn't get the job. I still smile about that, and I'm still honored that they even considered me, if only for a few moments.

Speaking of NASA, it has just been discovered that the entire moon is made up of Pilot Resumes from guys with 1500 TT and 500 multi. I'm talking more than a Billion Kajillion Million of the things are foating around out there. The only reason I got hired, twice, by FAR 121 airlines, out of all of those Bajillion resumes, is that both I, and my resume, stood out.

I first came to Jet-Careers in late 2000, I think, and I read about Doug's cross-country delivering all of his resumes around California, The joy of KINKO'S at 4 in the morning.....and it's true, very, very true.

One of the best ways to get your resume to stand out from most of the others is to........here's a no brainer.....get more qualifications. How many of those pilots are also Dispatchers?(All it takes is 6 weeks worth of weekends, or 2 weeks block)

A&P?(That's a little tougher, but it opens A LOT of doors)

FE? (They're not all extinct, yet)

These qualifications make a person stand out, and I don't think that you count on being like a million other guys, and somehow that dream job will just find you. My dream job didn't find me, I went out hunting. I first met the Airline that I work for now a few days after I read about Dougs journey, and Doug, I owe you a beer, BIG TIME. Anyway, I talked to the Chief Pilot about how I could get my F.E. ticket, and what they wanted in an applicant. (2 years later, when they hired me, I STILL hadn't met all of their qualifications, but I was doing whatever I could, when I could do it).

I hope this helps. You've got to stand out, and we all make our own luck.
 
I don't like the word "luck" because it implies you have no control over it. In Chicaga's thread I mentioned that success is not getting breaks but being ready when they show up.

Sort of like relationships. I used to pray for Miss Right and then I realized that what I really needed to pray for was for me to be ready when she came along.
 
John-
I do like the word "luck" because it is exactly the things that a person has no control over that might un-Earth an opportunity. And you are absolutely right about getting yourself ready, because you never know when they are coming. If I hadn't gotten canned in November, I would have been to busy flying to knock on my new airlines door in December, and that's exaclty what it took for me to get that job.
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BTW. I've worked at some bottom feeder's, this airline I'm with now is head and shoulders above...........well you know, some of the others. I'm not going to Name any names.....
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The word Luck comes from "Lucifer" so I avoid it.

I like this statement:

"Coincedence and Luck is God's way of remaining anonymous"
 
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I hope this helps. You've got to stand out, and we all make our own luck.



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Couldn't agree more. When something that you are working towards or making doesn't turn out right, usually the first reaction is to blame luck. During that initial time of feeling sorry for yourself, thoughts of what you could have done better, times when you could have tried harder, and instances where you "saved time" as it may be called, start entering your mind. Suddenly you realize that unless a meteorite falls from the heavens and strikes you on your head, it is nothing to do with luck, just that you should have tried harder. Good lesson to learn the hard way!
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The word Luck comes from "Lucifer" so I avoid it.

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Man you are a wealth of misinformation

It originates from middle dutch ~ a shortend form of gheluc. meaning propserity and good life.
 
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I don't like the word "luck" because it implies you have no control over it.

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I've found in life that the harder you Work, the better your Luck gets!
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I've never heard the Dutch reference before. Of course I have concentrated on the ancient languages such as Hebrew, Greek, Latin, etc. "Luc" in latin is a shortened form of Morning, as Lucifer means Morning Star.

Thanks for the reference, I'll add it to my list.
 
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Of course I have concentrated on the ancient languages such as Hebrew, Greek, Latin, etc. "Luc" in latin is a shortened form of Morning, as Lucifer means Morning Star.

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That sounds fair as well.
 
Yeah I get a kick out of that Morning Star reference. I have some friends who work for Morning Star Financial and I tease them about "Selling Stocks and Bonds for the Devil"
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I read on a post somewhere here that you make your own luck.
I am currently in the process of doing that. And I only realize what that means because of what I discovered in the last week. If the front door is closed, used the back. If my idea works, I will definetely post it here for all to capitalize on it, but until then, I'm gonna keep it to myself.
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I wonder if anyone just understood anything that I wrote??
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