What If You Could Hack Luck?

The Uncertainty Advantage

Wild Cards

Years ago, I stumbled upon an essay written by Neil Peart, the esteemed drummer and lyricist of the band RUSH. Neil’s reflections on chance and choice resonated deeply:

“There is truth in homilies like ‘the harder I work, the luckier I get’ and ‘luck is when preparation meets opportunity,’ but they are only tendencies, not laws. The best-laid plans, et cetera. No matter how intelligent, talented, and beautiful we might be, we still don’t know what the hell’s going to happen next. But we can improve the odds by the choices we make.”

Perhaps I saw this at the exact right moment. To me, it meant we had much more power than we realized. It felt like a call to action — an invitation to take ownership of my life. But while it stuck with me, it would take years before I fully understood what it meant. It wasn’t until a series of unexpected events began reshaping my life that Neil’s words came into focus.

From Stagnation to Transformation

In my late 20s, I was stuck in a bubble. My world was small, limited by familiar routines and a tight-knit but stagnant social circle. Then a stranger entered my life who changed it all.