The Surprising Truth About Luck: How to Prime Your Mind for Magic and Opportunity

It started with a migraine.

Not the kind that makes you squint at your computer and reach for aspirin. The kind that takes over your life—blinding, breath-stealing, soul-draining pain that whispers, “This is your life now.”

That was me. Years ago, migraines had a tight grip on my days, sometimes hitting daily. Doctors threw prescriptions at the problem. I tried elimination diets, yoga, eye tests. Nothing worked.

Then, in a twist of fate that now feels downright magical, an email newsletter called Daily Candy offered me something else: hypnosis. I was in New York City for a graduate school orientation and desperate for relief. I booked the appointment.

One hour later, I walked out migraine-free—and stayed that way. I’ve had maybe four migraines in the two decades since. That, my friend, is what I call a lucky break.

But was it luck?

That question has followed me ever since. Because here’s what I’ve learned: Luck isn’t lightning. It’s pattern recognition. It’s subconscious alignment. It’s focus.

In other words, luck isn’t what happens to you. It’s what happens when your whole self—your conscious plans, your subconscious scanning, your belief system, your readiness—is tuned into the same frequency.

Let’s break that down. Because the truth is, you can create luck. Yes, really. And not just in March when everything’s covered in shamrocks.

The Woo Meets the Brain

When we talk about luck, we often enter the realm of the woo—manifestation, abundance, “The Universe will provide.” And while that language can feel squishy, especially to us science-loving skeptics, there’s something happening there.

And science agrees.

In one of my PhD courses at Columbia, I spoke with a professor whose research was related to hypnosis and neuroscience. He told me something I’ve never forgotten:

“Your subconscious mind is kind of dumb—but it’s extremely powerful. Tell it what to do, and it will go to work on it.”

This explained why hypnosis helped my migraines. We bypassed the conscious mind, got specific with what we wanted (“Please redirect the pain response, thank you very much”), and the subconscious did the rest.

But that’s not all. That same professor introduced me to priming—another phenomenon where your subconscious brain direct your conscious brain to notice things it wouldn’t otherwise because it’s been exposed to an idea or cue.

It’s why you hear a weird word for the first time (like “anathema”), and suddenly it’s everywhere.

It’s not the world changing. It’s you.

Your subconscious is scanning the environment all the time, cataloging opportunities and drawing connections based on what you’ve told it to look for.

So when you say you “got lucky,” maybe it’s actually that your subconscious was ready—you were already in the river, looking for the rocks, the ripples, the chance to swim.

Getting Into the River of Luck

Let’s make this practical.

If luck is a byproduct of subconscious alignment, then here’s how you start creating it. Or, as I like to say, here’s how to get in the river and go with the flow of your Great Work.

1. Get Really, Specifically Clear on What You Want

When you get clear—crystal clear—on what you want, your brain becomes primed. You’re essentially programming your subconscious GPS.

“Please reroute all future coincidences to match: ‘Get a book deal for my memoir about resilience,’ thank you.”

This clarity isn’t just woo—it’s cognitive science. The more specific the signal, the more precisely your brain will look for matching opportunities.

TIP: Write it down. Speak it out loud. Share it with someone. The clearer and more embodied the desire, the stronger the subconscious alignment.

2. Prime Your Environment

You don’t have to graffiti your dream on your bathroom mirror (though honestly, why not?). But it does help to surround yourself with cues.

One experiment had participants subconsciously exposed to clues in a bathroom before being directed to their lab to answer questions. Those exposed to a sticker of a stop sign were more likely to correctly remember a stop sign in the memory task—even though they never consciously noticed the sticker. Remember, your subconscious mind is extremely straightforward. Want to see more of something? Cue it in your environment

This is why vision boards work. And playlists. And following people who’ve done what you want to do. You’re letting your environment drip-feed your brain the signal: “This is important.”

TIP: Choose a word, image, or phrase that encapsulates what you want. Place it where you’ll see it often—on your phone background, your mug, your journal. Or all of the above.

3. Listen for the “Click”

Sometimes, luck feels like a click. You’re thinking about writing a children’s book, and suddenly someone brings up their friend who illustrates kids’ books. You’re primed. You’re ready. Click.

It’s easy to miss these moments if your inner critic is louder than your inner curiosity. You’ll say, “That’s random,” or “It’s probably nothing.”

No. It’s something. It’s the river saying, “Hey! Over here!”

TIP: When something resonates—when it makes you perk up or feel jealous or deeply curious—write it down. Act on it. These are breadcrumbs.

4. Take Tiny Aligned Action

Luck loves movement.

Even small actions signal to your subconscious, “We’re serious about this.”

That’s when the coincidences speed up.

People show up. Opportunities appear. The right book falls off the shelf.

This is because you’re tuning yourself to the frequency of your future self.

TIP: Don’t wait for confidence; start with commitment. Reach out to the contact. Draft the email. Buy the domain. Say yes before you’re ready.

5. Trust the Weird Stuff

Let’s be honest: sometimes creating luck looks a little... odd. You might meet someone at a dog park who just happens to be an editor. Or randomly pick up a podcast episode that answers your biggest question.

That’s the magic of Great Work. When you commit to it—even a little—the world responds. Not always in ways you expect. But usually in ways that move you forward.

TIP: Say “yes” to strange synchronicities. Follow the white rabbit. Let your curiosity lead.

Luck Isn’t Lightning. It’s a Lantern.

Creating your own luck doesn’t mean forcing outcomes or gaming the universe. It means turning on a light—one that helps you see what’s already there, waiting to be claimed.

It’s your subconscious scanning for “yes.” It’s your vision creating priming cues. It’s your self-trust in full bloom.

You are not just lucky.

You are aligned, ready, and brave enough to get in the river of Great Work and paddle.

And when that happens?

Luck doesn’t feel like a fluke. It feels like a friend.

Want to get started? Try this mini-challenge:

• Write down one thing you want (and why you want it)

• Choose one cue to prime your environment

• Take one tiny step toward that vision

Your Great Work—and a little bit of magic—is waiting.

Let’s go create some luck.