“Luck is the residue of design.” This famous quote by American baseball executive Branch Rickey isn’t just a catchy phrase – it’s a powerful reminder that what many call luck often isn’t random at all. Instead, lucky breaks are frequently the natural outcome of careful preparation, smart strategy, and consistent hard work. For young professionals carving out their careers, this idea can be transformative. Rather than waiting for fortune to smile, you can take action to design your own luck.

Let’s explore why deliberate effort plays a key role in creating opportunities, dispel the misconception that successful people are simply “lucky,” and highlight how learning, discipline, and perseverance attract good fortune. Finally, we’ll discuss practical ways you can structure your career and decisions to maximize your chances of “getting lucky.”

What Does “Luck is the Residue of Design” Mean?

Branch Rickey, the executive famed for breaking baseball’s color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson, once said that “luck is the residue of design.” In other words, good luck tends to be what’s left over after you’ve put in a solid design or plan for success. Think of a scientist mixing chemicals in a lab: after careful effort, a residue is left in the beaker. Rickey’s point was that if you invest your energy, effort, and intellect into your goals, the “residue” you get looks a lot like luck. Basically, if you do the right things, you can create your own luck.

What does this mean for you? It means that rather than treating luck as pure chance, treat it as something you have influence over. Your deliberate actions – planning a project, learning a new skill, making a connection – set the stage for those “lucky” moments. As one Forbes article puts it: “You need to put yourself in a position to have luck.” Just like you must buy a ticket to have a chance at winning the lottery, you have to act and prepare to give luck an opportunity to find you (1).

In short, luck favors the prepared. Even the Roman philosopher Seneca echoed this idea long ago: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” When you lay the groundwork through design – whether that design is a career plan, a networking strategy, or simply personal growth – you increase the odds that opportunities will come, and that you’ll be ready to seize them.

The Myth of Being “Just Lucky”

It’s easy to look at a successful entrepreneur, a top executive, or a talented artist and say, “They got lucky.” Our society often credits serendipity for success, which feeds the myth that achievements happen by chance. However, this perspective can be misleading. Many successful people appear lucky after they succeed, but observers don’t see the years of effort behind the scenes. In reality, success isn’t a product of random chance – it’s usually built on a foundation of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance.

When we dismiss someone’s accomplishments as “just luck,” we do two harmful things: we undermine the effort they put in, and we rob ourselves of motivation. It’s comforting to think success is a roll of the dice – that way, our own setbacks aren’t our fault. But that mindset creates a mental barrier to growth. If you assume you have no control, you’re less likely to put in the work. In truth, behind every achievement are things within your control.

Consider any big achievement as the “tip of the iceberg.” What’s visible (the award, the promotion, the successful product launch) rests on a massive unseen chunk of ice below (the late nights, the learning from failures, the planning and practice). Successful people aren’t simply luckier than everyone else; they make themselves luckier by doing the work. They prepare relentlessly and stay ready to capitalize on opportunities. What outsiders call luck is often design in disguise – the result of intentional choices and actions.

Preparation, Strategy, and Hard Work: The Real Ingredients of “Luck”

If luck is the residue of design, then what goes into that design? Preparation, strategy, and hard work form the core. Deliberate effort creates a ripple effect that attracts opportunities. Here’s why these elements matter:

1. Preparation: When you build your skills and knowledge, you’re essentially planting seeds for future opportunities. That extra course you took, the coding skills you learned, or the industry research you did – all this preparation means that when a rare chance comes along, you can grab it. It might look like a lucky break to others, but you know it’s your preparation meeting the moment. “Luck favors the prepared mind,” as Louis Pasteur is credited with saying – you often have to work very hard to get lucky.
2. Strategic Planning: Having a plan doesn’t mean everything will go exactly as scripted (it rarely does), but it gives you direction and intention. Luck tends to visit those who have a sense of where they’re going. For example, if you plan to become a project manager, you’ll start taking on leadership tasks and meeting mentors in that area. Later, when a project lead position suddenly opens up, you can step in “luckily” – but really, your prior strategic positioning made it possible.
3. Hard Work and Consistency: There’s no substitute for hard work. Consistent effort not only builds your skills but also your reputation. If you’re known as someone who delivers and perseveres, people are more likely to hand you opportunities (which others might label as being lucky). Real success comes from working hard even when no one is watching and persisting through tough times. Those who keep going and consistently improve effectively increase their chances of hitting on a “lucky” success. It’s like buying more raffle tickets – each unit of hard work is another ticket in the bowl.
4. Learning and Adaptability: Part of preparation is an openness to learning and adapting. The world changes, and new opportunities often come disguised as challenges. By developing a habit of learning and staying adaptable, you’re designing a career that can capitalize on the unexpected. For instance, learning a bit about a colleague’s field or keeping up with industry trends can suddenly pay off if your company expands or a cross-functional project arises. The more you know, the luckier you can get, because you can connect dots that others miss and say “yes” to opportunities that require those extra skills.

By focusing on these ingredients, you essentially stack the deck in your favor. You create a “prepared mind” that spots opportunities, and you have the work ethic to act on them. As a result, what others see as random good fortune is often you simply reaping what you’ve sown.

Designing Your Path to “Get Lucky” in Your Career