Make your own luck

I wanted to post a message today about luck, making your own luck, and being "lucky." I enter lots of sweepstakes, and, although I don't do as well as some "professional sweepers" (Hello Mr. & Mrs. Shanahan!), I am thrilled with the occasional unexpected win showing up. Today I was notified that I've won "The Ultimate Vols Experience" sweepstakes. I don't have all the details yet, but I do know it involves two tickets to the UT-Kentucky football game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, plus the opportunity to go down on the field before the game. As it will be Coach Fulmer's last game, it should be a bittersweet experience.

My philosophy is to enter only for things I personally want, or can envision giving someone as a gift. I have no interest in motorcycles, mountain bikes, a year of free diapers, heli skiing trips, etc. Some people enter for everything, with the intention of selling unwanted prizes to make extra cash. I'd rather focus my energy, and limited time and stamp budget, toward things I really, really want to win.

Many people ask me how I can be so lucky. The answer is to enter, enter, enter! As in the case of this particular sweepstakes, your odds will be best if you can find a local sweepstakes to enter. If you are only competing against others from your own area, you will have much less competition than if you are competing against everyone in the U.S. So keep your eyes peeled for entry forms and drop boxes at the grocery store, convenience store, restaurants, etc. on your daily rounds.

Also, if a sweepstakes or contest has something of a "degree of difficulty", it will discourage those who don't want to put the effort into entering. There is such a contest going on right now, and I encourage everyone to enter it. The Consumer Queen is giving away one of those nifty new Flip cameras (just the thing for creating videos to enter all the video contests currently running -- hmm, I see they come in orange). There are some steps you have to follow to enter, including registering at the site, subscribing to the blog, posting some deals, and so on. The average person might read that be discouraged that it will take time to enter. That is how you "make your luck" -- work a little harder, and the good luck will follow.

Oh, and to tie this in with my British obsession, I have actually won two trips to England. The first was a tie in with the Austin Powers movies from Frito-Lay, and the second was a tie in with the Underworld: Evolution film from Vamp NRG drinks. So it can be done!

Good luck!