Sometime during middle school, my very wise (and very beautiful) mother taught me a gem that I have not forgotten: “Luck Favors the Prepared”. I can’t remember exactly what the situation was, but I think it had something do with the tennis team or softball or maybe a spelling bee or something. Anyway, I hadn’t worked very hard to be successful at whatever it was – I just assumed that I deserved it. I made a comment about someone getting something that I didn’t get because they were lucky (as in “she’s so lucky!”, and my Mom came back with one of the wisest things I’ve ever heard – “Luck Favors the Prepared.”

While this stuck with me through college, I had forgotten it until recently. But the other day I was watching Oprah interview somebody (I wish I could remember who!), and that person said, word for word, what my mother had told me so many years ago.

Luck Favors the Prepared. I remembered this through high school, through college, and when I landed my first job. Let’s just look at one of those situations – landing my first job out of college. Was there luck in the right place, right time aspect of getting that job? You bet there was. But I was also prepared, and had I not been, the result of that exact same situation at that exact same place at that exact same time would have been very different. (Of course had I not been preparing I might also not have even been in that exact same place at that exact same time, but that’s a whole other topic….)

The thing is, to be preparing for something implies that you have an end goal in mind. Athletes prepare to work hard physically and mentally through their career in a very different way than a new mother prepares to work hard physically and mentally through childbirth (among other challenges). They are both preparing to work hard physically and mentally. They both have an end goal in mind, but the type of preparation that will be required of them will be very, very different. But we don’t always know what we’re preparing for, do we?

I can tell you with absolute 100% certainty that in high school and college I was not preparing to work in life insurance. I was preparing for what I hoped would be a successful career in a non-profit. Or doing anthropological field work. But my life ended up going a very different direction. I was prepared, yes. I just didn’t quite know what I was preparing for. And now, as I look at my present situation, my present position, I realize how my unique background and skill set has prepared me for having a successful career in a very, very, very specific vocation. And believe me when I tell you that getting into this line of work in the first place was just dumb luck. But I was, at some level, prepared for it. I just didn’t know it. And luck most definitely favored me.

When I recently reheard this phrase on TV (thank you Oprah!), besides remembering some of my own experiences where it had proven true in my own life, I was reminded of George. In his case, luck most definitely favored the prepared.

George worked hard at almost everything he did his whole life. For example, while he missed out on a formal education because of the premature death of his father, he worked diligently to make up for it by self-educating. He was always aware of his educational status among those around him, and he did everything he could to prepare himself for situations where he would interact with more educated folks.

In educating himself, he was practicing the drive, determination, and self-awareness that is required from the President of the United States. He was preparing to be President. But he didn’t know it yet.

When leading the Continental Army, he was practicing the ability to lead and inspire that is required from the President of the United States. He was preparing to be President, creating the role of Commander in Chief. But he didn’t know it yet.

When he was young and his father died and he learned to keep his emotions to himself, even if he felt them passionately inside, he was practicing the ability to portray a calmness and exercise a level of self-control that is required from the President of the United States. He was preparing to be President. But he didn’t know it yet.

The Presidency didn’t yet exist when George was young and preparing himself for the role, so we know that his preparation was not intentional – meaning that his end goal was not the Presidency. Unlike today, where millions of kids dream of being President someday, that dream did not exist for George. But he was lucky. He was in the right place, in the right time, and he had a very specific background that made him uniquely qualified to be our first President. And while he didn’t always love the job, he sacrificed many years of his life doing a job that he didn’t particularly like for the well-being of this Country. And we are reaping the rewards of that sacrifice today.

George is also unique in that he is the only President in the history of our United States that didn’t, in some way, specifically prepare to be President. Once the position was created and once George paved the way for what the Presidency would look like, people wanted that job. And they started deliberately building resumes that would get them there. But George did not have that chance. Perhaps that is why he was so special, so incredibly good at being President. It was natural. He possessed a natural skill set. He didn’t have to force it, he didn’t have to lobby to get it (he was unanimously voted in – can you even imagine?). He was just it.

I don’t know what my experiences today are preparing me for in the future (although it’s not to be President!) I’m not sure that I want to know what my future holds. Part of the fun of living is not knowing what’s next in life. But how do you prepare for what’s next if you don’t know what it is?

I have come to the conclusion that to be prepared for anything in life, I should just try to be “my best me.” What does that even mean? No one specific skill comes to mind. But if I put my best self out there, project positivity and treat other people with kindness and respect and project the most positive energy I can possibly find — good things will generally come my way. And so far, in my 35 years on this Earth, I can say that it’s worked out for me. I have a fantastic life.

Besides the gem “Luck favors the prepared,” my Mom taught me some other true things, too. Life isn’t perfect. Life isn’t fair. It’s impossible to get 100% of the people to like you 100% of the time. There’s only one me. I only get one shot at being my one me. Love yourself unconditionally – you might be the only one who ever will (except your Mom of course! Ha ha!). You will make mistakes. You are not perfect. You will feel ashamed of your actions sometimes. Forgiveness is the best gift you can give yourself. Forgiveness is also one of the best gifts you can give others. Smile and the world smiles back. Women are harder on other women (and on themselves) than men will ever be, so lift a woman’s spirits every single day. I know — I have a great Mom!!

I hope my children carry some of these lessons on in their own lives – if only I knew how to be sure they would. Maybe that’s something I should try to prepare for.