When my son was a little kid, he and I used to live for the cartoon series Ben 10. I loved Ben’s cousin Gwen, in particular. Even with his alien-generated superpowers, Ben wouldn’t have made it far without his cousin’s brains and backbone.

In a couple of episodes, Gwen got her own superpower through a mysterious amulet that transformed her into Lucky Girl. But it didn’t make her awesome. It just amplified her awesome.

The amulet didn’t grant her a spontaneous knowledge of martial arts. She was already studying martial arts and practicing her skills. The amulet simply optimized abilities Gwen was already developing.

It didn’t make her quick-witted. She was already savvy and studious. It just gave her smarts a boost.

The amulet didn’t make her brave. She was already plenty audacious. It just gave her courage a little level up.

Sometimes, I think I’m a pretty lucky girl myself. I run my own business, which gives me tons of freedom and independence. I managed to find a 37′ boat for under $4k. I’ve been able to build my Perilous and Sparks series into something I’m proud of and excited to share.

Some of that is pure luck. But not all of it. Or even most.

I put a lot of work into my business every day. I spent a lot of time trolling Craigslist before I found a boat we could afford. I made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot of new skills in order to get Perilous and Sparks off the ground.

In other words, fortune favors the girl who puts in long hours.

 

Your Mission

Forget lucky amulets. You can make your own luck. First, decide what you want your destiny to be, and then make a map to get there. Literally. Get out a piece of paper and draw a map to your desired destination. Consider what obstacles might present themselves and represent them on the map. Thinking about the problems you’re likely to encounter will help you plan to meet them head on. I’m always amazed to see how often good luck disguises itself as good planning.

If you’re so inclined, share a photo of your map with me on Instagram. Tag @perilous.and.sparks and use the hashtag #PSmission.