Breaking Bad with the Right Habits, Attitude, and Mindset

Superstitious beliefs and practices are common among those who put their faith in odd rituals to succeed and ward off the evil consequences that otherwise might arise. They say, wear, or do things to ward off bad luck: knock on wood, throw salt, burn incense, or use a protective charm like a rabbit's foot, four-leaf clover, or horseshoe.

Breaking bad luck or unfortunate patterns in life is far more likely to happen when we address our own contributions: Bad habits, bad attitudes, and bad mindsets.

Excellence is not a goal to be achieved, but an attitude to be cultivated—starting with us individually and then becoming consistently strong in every office, classroom, and hallway as we provide the best conditions for colleagues and students to thrive.

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature,
nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. 
— Helen Keller

The fortunes of no. 13 have changed over time.
Taylor Swift calls it her lucky number.
And Hotels are no longer ashamed of it.

It was especially late and I was tired, so I checked in without paying much attention. After the elevator finally arrived, I looked on my key envelope for the room number. No. 1313. Really?!?

That number was striking because I remember when hotels avoided having a 13th floor, even though we all knew the floor labeled 14 was really the 13th.

Everyone has his superstitions. One of mine
has always been when I started to go anywhere, 

or to do anything, never to turn back or to stop 

until the thing intended was accomplished. 

— Ulysses S. Grant

Bad luck and foolish decisions are the basic storyline of most scary movies, and this frightening combination too often becomes the narrative of educators and schools.

When things are going our way, we're happy and celebrate the deserved blessings. Sometimes what we celebrate as good others view as misfortune (like winning the game or finding money).

But when things don't go our way, we can easily become defeated by the injustice or rotten luck. Sometimes the challenges we’re facing now were actually the prayer requests of yesterday.

What helps luck is a habit of watching for opportunities, 
of having a patient, but restless mind, of sacrificing 
one’s ease or vanity, of uniting a love of detail to foresight, 
and of passing through hard times bravely and cheerfully.  
— Charles V. Cherbuliez

Success is more favorable when we fervently prepare our hearts and minds each day.

When we start with Prayer, we remember the bigger values and virtues to which we've been called.

When we start with a Plan, we remember the bigger goals and connect our activities today to those longer-term achievements.

When we start with Perspective, we remember the bigger picture and our purpose in it.

Don't yield to chance what is within your control, my friend, because nothing can stop you when you practice the right habits, attitude, and mindset.