The Science of Creativity

Creating Your Own Luck: The Power of Serendipity to Drive Creativity

Mar 10, 2026
Tina Seelig, Stanford professor and author focused on creativity and entrepreneurship. She explains how luck can be cultivated through mindset and daily practices. Short stories show turning small encounters into long-term opportunities. Practical tips include talking to strangers, gratitude, resilience, and mapping risks to invite more serendipity.
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INSIGHT

Luck Versus Fortune Distinction

  • Seelig distinguishes fortune (random events) from luck (what you conjure by taking chances).
  • That reframes luck as an outcome of agency and actions, not just external happenstance.
ANECDOTE

Lemonade Conversation Led To International Opportunities

  • A grocery-store chat about making lemonade led Tina to exchange contact details with a Chilean entrepreneur.
  • Years later that relationship produced visits, collaboration, and a helicopter tour in Santiago.
ADVICE

Send Thank You Notes To Open Doors

  • Send thank-you notes and follow-ups after meetings or talks to deepen connections and open future doors.
  • Seelig credits simple appreciation for enabling ongoing conversations and future opportunities.
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