One thing about me is I love to execute on a plan.

I’ve always subscribed to the belief that anything is possible with hard work and a clearly defined path to success.

If you’ve listened to the podcast How I Built This, you know the host ends each episode by asking the guest if their success is a result of hard work or a result of luck. Most answer hard work.

And I would have too, until I was introduced to the concept of the four levels of luck.

Now, I start every day by asking “how can I increase my luck surface today?”

In this week’s edition, I want to share this luck framework with you because it’s been one of the largest unlocks for me in my career (and life) to date.

Are you feeling lucky?

The 4 Levels of Luck

Late last year, I started binge-listening to episodes of My First Million. Episode 380 was about the secret to being lucky. I listened to it twice, and then immediately shared with almost everyone I knew.

The thesis is that most people believe luck (and it’s counterpart risk) are completely outside of their control. But, this simply isn’t true.

In the episode, the hosts share a framework that’s based on a book called Chase, Chance & Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty. The framework divides luck into four categories:

• Level 1: Blind luck

• Level 2: Luck from motion

• Level 3: Luck from awareness

• Level 4: Luck from uniqueness

Let’s dig into each level of luck and how you can apply it to your own career.

Level 1: Blind Luck

Blind luck is the most basic kind of luck and it’s the one we can’t control.

This might be the country you were born in, who your parents are, or if you work at a company doing a large round of layoffs.

It’s what many people think of when they think of luck.

Level 2: Luck from Motion

On the pod, they coin this type of luck “fortune favors the bold.” Level 2 luck is created by motion that you expend. Through your motion, you are able to influence the outcome of situations.

This is the first level of luck you can influence, and where the concept of increasing your luck surface appears.

To increase your luck surface, you simply need to increase your motion. Post daily on LinkedIn. Join communities (ahem, like PMM Camp), where you’re exposed to new and interesting people regularly.

For example, posting every day on LinkedIn has allowed me to build meaningful friendships with people I never would have met otherwise. Andy, Jason and I all met online, and that friendship led to us collaborating on our podcast and course. My motion put me in the right place at the right time.

🍀 How can you influence level 2 luck? Just get started. Write. Travel. Connect.

Level 3: Luck from Awareness

Another term used for level 3 luck is “chance favors the prepared mind.” This is where your experience and preparation pay dividends.

When you’ve put in the reps, you’re more likely to notice opportunity where amateurs may miss it. You can spot patterns and identify trends.

For example, I decided during the pandemic to start studying B2B creators. I analyzed what the most successful creators were doing and then I strategically changed jobs so I could work at a software company in the creator space. All of this knowledge made me bullish on the opportunity to be a product marketing creator and gave me the push I needed to start my newsletter before almost any other PMM newsletter existed. This awareness gave me a head start.

🍀 How can you influence level 3 luck? Don’t be afraid to go deep into topics you’re interested in. Push yourself to do one thing each day that will allow you to deepen that knowledge or skill.

Level 4: Luck from Uniqueness

Level four luck works like a magnet. It seeks you out based on who you are. On the pod, they call this “the luck that finds you” or “reputational luck”.

It’s not merely about being in the right place at the right time or having a deep understanding of a particular topic. Instead, it focuses on the unique attributes, passions, and behaviors that make you stand out.

This level of luck is a great reminder to lean into what makes us special rather than feel compelled to conform.

Marc Andreessen wrote about Level 4 luck back in 2007: “it comes to you, unsought, because of who you are and how you behave.”

🍀 How can you influence level 4 luck? Follow your curiosity and develop a unique POV. If level 3 is about going deep, level 4 is about going broad and exploring niche interests.

If you’ve made it this far, I hope I’ve managed to convince you that you play an active role in creating luck in your own life.

Remember this: when faced with a decision, always choose the decision where you’re most likely to get lucky. In philosophy, this is called the luck razor.

Or, like me, you can simply start every morning by asking, “what can I do today to increase my luck surface?”

Wishing you the best of luck 🍀

CAMPER ESSENTIALS

📚 Reading List: Want even more examples of how to influence luck? Check out Marc Andreessen’s original 2007 blog post, Luck and The Entrepreneur.

🎧 Playlist: Listen to episode 380 of My First Million, The Secret to Being Lucky, to hear how this framework has impacted other successful marketers and business builders.

Until next week,