Years ago when my wife and took a trip to Las Vegas, we wanted to try our hand at gambling. She hit the slot machines and I tried my best to learn craps. We didn’t spend a lot of time or money, but we were young and had a good time trying our luck. When I would come back to check on her while she throttled the handle of that poor slot machine, she would repeat her mantra every time she pulled it, “C’mon we’re good people.”

I found it so amusing that she said that. Partly, because she truly believed her earnest statements would bring the big payoff and partly because she was saying exactly what I believed.

However, I’m not quite sure that’s how the world works.

Sometimes the lowest/darkest/desperate moments in our lives can ultimately be our greatest learning times as well. If we choose to learn from it rather than playing the victim. Maybe instead of asking, “Why does this always happen to me?” We can ask, “What can I learn from this to make me better, stronger and smarter?”

Our life is what we focus on. Positive or negative. If we believe we’re lucky, you’ll be right. If you subscribe to the idea that everything will work out, it will. If you think there’s no way you will ever be “successful” then guess what?

Maybe we should be more careful about which team we hook our wagon on. After all, we always have the power to choose.