Can You Learn to be Lucky? audiobook cover - Why Some People Seem to Win More Often Than Others

Can You Learn to be Lucky?

Why Some People Seem to Win More Often Than Others

Karla Starr

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EntrepreneurshipPersonal Development

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Mind Map

Can You Learn to be Lucky?
Timing & Context+
Familiarity & Impressions+
The Beauty Advantage+
Confidence & Conditioning+
The Anatomy of Success+
Self-Control & Willpower+
Social Networks+
Cultivating Curiosity+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
Why does appearing last in a judged competition or interview often increase your chances of success?
  • A. Judges are usually tired and pay less attention to mistakes at the end of the day.
  • B. The human brain relies on context, and judges are reluctant to give top scores early.
  • C. Performers who go last have more time to practice and observe their competitors' mistakes.
  • D. Audiences tend to cheer louder at the end of an event, which subconsciously sways the judges.
Question 2 of 9
According to the exposure effect discussed in the book, how can someone improve their chances of making connections at a networking event?
  • A. By wearing bright colors to stand out from the crowd.
  • B. By acting mysterious and letting others approach them first.
  • C. By positioning themselves in the center of the room to increase physical proximity to others.
  • D. By handing out as many business cards as possible within the first ten minutes.
Question 3 of 9
What did the study involving videotaped violin performances demonstrate about human decision-making?
  • A. Technical proficiency is easily recognized regardless of a performer's appearance.
  • B. People instinctively use first impressions and appearance as a guide to assess competence.
  • C. Female artists are judged more harshly than male artists in classical music.
  • D. Audiences prefer musicians who dress casually because it makes them seem more relatable.
Question 4 of 9
Why are humans naturally predisposed to favor physically attractive people?
  • A. Media and cultural conditioning have completely shaped our perception of beauty.
  • B. Attractiveness is subconsciously interpreted as an indicator of solid genes and good health.
  • C. Beautiful people are generally observed to work harder than those who are less attractive.
  • D. Attractive people are more likely to have wealthy parents who can provide better resources.
Question 5 of 9
How does early social conditioning affect a person's confidence and, consequently, their luck?
  • A. People born into lower social hierarchies receive significantly more discouraging feedback, which lowers their confidence to take risks.
  • B. Wealthy children are taught specific networking strategies that working-class children are not.
  • C. Social conditioning plays a minimal role; confidence is almost entirely genetic.
  • D. Working-class individuals are naturally more confident because they have to fight harder for success.
Question 6 of 9
Why is the idea that '10,000 hours of practice makes you an expert' considered simplistic in the book?
  • A. Most people cannot focus on a single task for 10,000 hours without suffering from burnout.
  • B. True expertise usually requires closer to 20,000 hours of deliberate practice.
  • C. It ignores the critical roles that genetics, financial resources, location, and mental toughness play in success.
  • D. Practice is actually less important than having a massive social network.
Question 7 of 9
According to the book, why is it neurologically difficult for humans to regulate their behavior and learn new skills, like teaching oneself HTML?
  • A. Doing unfamiliar things requires high energy consumption from the brain's prefrontal cortex.
  • B. Most people lack the genetic predisposition for high-level technical skills.
  • C. The brain's inhibition system completely shuts down when faced with complex tasks.
  • D. Society actively discourages adults from pursuing new hobbies later in life.
Question 8 of 9
In Katherine Giuffre's study of the New York fine art photography scene, what separated the most successful photographers from the rest?
  • A. They had significantly more technical training and better equipment.
  • B. They were willing to work for free to gain initial exposure.
  • C. They possessed a massive network of social ties, knowing people who knew even more people.
  • D. They focused exclusively on building stable, long-term relationships with just one or two curators.
Question 9 of 9
What psychological barrier often prevents people from exploring new opportunities, and how does the book suggest we view it?
  • A. The brain's activation system makes us overly reckless; we must learn to use our inhibition system.
  • B. We are naturally overly optimistic; we must learn to conduct better due diligence.
  • C. Our default mental setting is to stick with the familiar out of fear; we must actively choose to stay curious.
  • D. We tend to overestimate our own abilities; we must seek constant feedback from mentors.

Can You Learn to be Lucky? — Full Chapter Overview

Can You Learn to be Lucky? Summary & Overview

Can You Learn to Be Lucky (2018) explores how unseen biases dictate our personal behavior and world events in ways that are often quite predictable. By understanding the mechanisms behind seemingly lucky events, we can learn how to harness luck to our advantage.

Who Should Listen to Can You Learn to be Lucky??

  • Unlucky people waiting for their big break
  • Students of behavioral science
  • Anyone who’s ever wondered why some people seem born to succeed

About the Author: Karla Starr

Karla Starr is a journalist and writer focusing on popular science and the subject of luck. She has written for the Atlantic, Slate, the Guardian and the Los Angeles Times. Fifteen years ago, she almost died in a car accident. She was lucky enough to survive.

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