Chapter 1
The Unpredictable Science of Fortune
Ever wonder why some people seem to have all the luck? Why that guy who sat next to you in college now runs a billion-dollar startup, or why your less-qualified coworker got the promotion you deserved? In "Can You Learn to Be Lucky?", science writer Karla Starr tackles these questions with rigorous research and captivating storytelling. This isn't just another self-help book with empty platitudes-it's a deep dive into the hidden patterns behind what we mistakenly call "luck."
The book has garnered praise from behavioral scientists and business leaders alike, with Adam Grant calling it "the most interesting and original book on luck I've ever read." Since its 2018 publication, it's become required reading in psychology departments and business schools nationwide. What makes Starr's approach unique is how she weaves together neuroscience, behavioral economics, and evolutionary psychology to reveal that much of what we attribute to randomness actually follows predictable patterns we can influence.
Drawing from her own experience of surviving a catastrophic car accident that left her with $200,000 in medical debt, Starr's personal journey through randomness gives her investigation authentic urgency. Let's explore how understanding the science of luck might transform your own fortunes.
Chapter 2
The Hidden Patterns Behind Judgment and Timing
Have you ever noticed how Olympic figure skaters who perform last seem to get better scores? It's not your imagination. When judges evaluate performances sequentially, those appearing later have a significant advantage. At the 1994-2004 European Figure Skating Championships, skaters performing last had a 14% chance of winning versus just 3% for those going first.
This happens because our brains make judgments based on whatever information is most accessible at that moment. Early competitors are judged against our perfect ideals, while later entries benefit from our adjusted expectations as we get a realistic sense of the talent pool. This explains how Tara Lipinski upset Michelle Kwan at the 1998 Winter Olympics despite Kwan's flawless performance-judges gave Kwan 5.9s instead of perfect 6.0s because they needed to "leave room at the top" for potential better performances.
Our brains follow what Nobel Prize-winner Daniel Kahneman calls "the law of least effort," choosing the path requiring the least mental energy. When Israeli parole boards were studied, judges granted parole 65% of the time at the beginning of sessions but dropped to nearly 0% before breaks. As mental fatigue sets in, our brains default to the easier path-saying no.
This timing effect extends beyond formal competitions into everyday social interactions. The "closing time effect," scientifically confirmed by James Pennebaker in the 1970s, shows that bar patrons rate others as increasingly attractive as closing time approaches. At 9:00 p.m., people reported being surrounded by average-looking individuals, but by midnight-just before closing-they suddenly found themselves in a room full of "hotties." Our standards unconsciously soften as options dwindle.
If you want to leverage timing to increase your luck, go last whenever possible. Analysis of American Idol shows contestants positioned closer to the end have a 5% better chance of advancing. When that's not possible, be memorable-whoever comes to mind at decision time gets lucky. And remember that many rejections aren't personal-they're just the result of decision-maker fatigue or poor timing.
Chapter 3
The Power of Familiarity and Presence
Why do some people seem to have opportunities hand-delivered while others struggle to break in? Consider Charlie Brewer, a high school quarterback descended from Texas quarterback royalty. His grandfather, father, uncle, and brother all played quarterback at prestigious universities. For Coach Hank Carter at Lake Travis High School, thinking of Brewer as quarterback felt natural-it just made sense.
Our brains make decisions through a process researcher Amitai Shenhav likens to collecting marbles. Each piece of information about an option adds a "marble" to that option's side of a scale. When comparing vastly different options, the scale tips quickly and decisively. But with similar options, we collect roughly equal-sized marbles, making decisions more difficult.
As we gather information, our brains begin favoring evidence supporting the option that's starting to lead. We're naturally drawn to information that's easier to process-what psychologists call "fluent" information-which triggers positive emotional responses and "just feels right." This mental laziness means our gut feelings steer our attention, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.
The greatest shortcut to creating this feeling of "rightness" is simple proximity. In 1945, MIT built two isolated housing projects for returning WWII veterans, creating an ideal environment for studying friendship formation. Social psychologist Leon Festinger discovered that proximity was the key variable determining friendship likelihood. Two-thirds of residents named someone in their building as their closest friend, with most specifically naming their next-door neighbor.
This proximity effect works because of what psychologist Robert Zajonc identified as the "mere exposure effect"-simply being repeatedly exposed to something makes us like it more. In his original experiments, subjects reported greater liking for foreign characters they'd seen more frequently, despite these symbols having no inherent meaning to them.
This principle extends to people as well. In a follow-up study, "average-looking" women attended psychology lectures without participating. Students later rated women who attended more lectures as more likable and attractive, even though most weren't consciously aware of having seen them before. This represents great news for introverts-simply showing up repeatedly creates positive impressions without requiring conversation.
The final component of the Charlie Brewer principle remains beyond our control: how quickly others collect those "you are right for the job" marbles depends on your resemblance to others who succeeded previously. Our brains love connecting dots, and we rarely question when someone matches our expectations-it simply feels right. This explains why violinists wearing "nightclub" attire receive lower technical ratings than those in formal concert wear despite identical performances.
To increase your chances of being selected like Charlie Brewer, highlight similarities to successful people in your field. Show up consistently-80% of success is just being present, as proximity builds trust over time. Position yourself centrally in social settings and persist in environments where you initially feel uncomfortable.
Chapter 4
The Face Value: How Appearance Shapes Opportunity
At Silvercup Studios in New York, casting director Kristen Paladino scans through headshots with her assistant, demonstrating how casting begins with gut reactions to faces before actors even get to showcase their talents. Our brains are prediction machines that seek patterns to make quick judgments, automatically evaluating faces from birth and using visual cues to predict traits and behaviors.
We automatically evaluate strangers based on facial similarities to people we've previously encountered, often without conscious awareness. This facial similarity effect leads to assumptions about someone's character based merely on resemblance to others. Dating preferences illustrate this phenomenon-as matchmaker Lisa Clampitt notes, people develop "types" based on past associations. Even venture capitalist Paul Graham admitted being influenced by applicants resembling Mark Zuckerberg.
First impressions form through the same marble-collecting process, where early information tips the scales and we selectively gather evidence supporting our initial hunch. These judgments can be influenced by completely irrelevant factors-dating success might depend less on your qualities and more on whether someone was reading your profile while "holding a can of soda and swaying on a hammock."
When we see wider faces with strong jawlines, we instinctively take those people more seriously-these are the faces we want leading us during conflicts. Military career trajectories can be predicted by facial structure, with dominant features (square jawlines, strong browridges) creating lifelong advantages. The West Point class of 1950 study showed men with dominant facial features were promoted five times more frequently than their baby-faced peers, eventually becoming actual generals.
Since we all rely on intuitive judgments about others, recognize that people are doing the same to you-sometimes unfairly passing you over for reasons unrelated to merit. To maximize your chances: smile in headshots, present yourself as trustworthy, use simple backgrounds and easy-to-pronounce names, and pay attention to professional presentation details since people filter options quickly. For better decision-making, establish clear criteria beforehand and stick to them.
Chapter 5
The Beauty Bubble: Attractiveness as Currency
Sarah Palin's meteoric political rise exemplifies the extraordinary advantages of physical attractiveness. From beauty pageant contestant to sports anchor to mayor to governor to vice-presidential candidate, her trajectory was accelerated by her photogenic appearance. As one friend revealed, Palin knowingly leveraged her looks, once saying "I'm gonna put on one of my push-up bras so I can get what I want tonight."
Our universal agreement about attractiveness dates back to Francis Galton's 1908 classification system. Attractive faces generally have symmetrical, average features where nothing stands out awkwardly-they're "easy on the eyes because they're easy on the mind." This preference appears hardwired, as even six-month-old infants prefer looking at faces rated attractive by adults. Attractive faces activate our brain's reward circuitry, creating the same pleasurable response as appetizing food or enjoyable music.
Beauty's benefits begin at birth, with parents being more nurturing toward attractive infants. Academically, attractive students receive higher grades for identical work, are less likely to be recommended for remedial classes despite poor performance, and earn higher GPAs. The "aesthetic capital" wage gap rivals race and gender differences, with beautiful people entering prestigious, visible positions.
In a famous study, men who believed they were speaking with attractive women (based on false photos) brought their "A-game" to phone conversations, becoming friendlier and more engaged. Independent judges rated these conversations more positively, demonstrating how expectations create self-fulfilling prophecies. Beautiful people like Sarah Palin live in a "Beauty Bubble" where positive responses since infancy create a unique social environment.
Berkeley professor Cameron Anderson's research shows that people of higher status receive constant deference from others, reinforcing their elevated position. Those at the bottom face pressure to stay quiet and receive negative signals when speaking up. The most popular people-typically attractive-become connected to everyone. Winning these popularity contests profoundly impacts self-perception, potentially explaining why someone might never question their qualifications for powerful positions-they've simply never been told "no."
For those not blessed with conventional beauty, develop a robust sense of self-worth regardless. Remember that attractiveness includes personality-kindness and interesting qualities make people hotter over time. Focus on what you can control: grooming accounts for much of the "beauty premium," with well-groomed women earning more than those who go barefaced. Remember Carrie Fisher's wisdom: "Youth and beauty are not accomplishments, they're temporary happy by-products of time and/or DNA."
Chapter 6
Confidence: The Ultimate Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
In the sweltering heat of a New York spring, the Kindergarten Admissions Fair at Grace Chapel's gymnasium is filled with hundreds of impeccably dressed, affluent parents competing for coveted preschool spots. Even actress Jane Krakowski stands out in this sea of conformity, confidently defying the dress code in leather and jeans while effortlessly moving to the front of the line-a perfect illustration of how confidence creates its own luck.
Confidence makes pursuing rewards easier by convincing us the potential benefits outweigh the costs. Our brain's behavioral activation system (BAS) handles our reactions to rewards, with dopamine driving motivation. Researcher John Salamone demonstrated that blocking dopamine in rats' nucleus accumbens made them less likely to pursue rewarding but effortful options, instead taking the easy way out.
The desire to be dominant is universal across species, as being top dog grants better access to resources and opportunities. Having power changes how we process information, making us feel safer and more focused on pursuing what we want. Children from wealthy families learn to interact with authority figures differently, developing confidence to interrupt, ask questions, and stand their ground, while working-class children learn deference.
Confidence comes from feeling secure in your social position. Winning creates an upward spiral: victory raises testosterone, making you more willing to approach rewards, which leads to more success. Simply being assigned a superior role or wearing formal clothing can improve performance. Physical power through exercise can increase personal power, though trying new things outside our comfort zone remains challenging.
The "Shape Game" demonstrates how confidence forms early and how stereotypes become self-reinforcing. When children observe patterns like more boys excelling at certain activities, they develop expectations for gender-specific behavior. Stereotype threat explains performance gaps across various domains. Studies show women's math scores drop by 20 points and Black and Latino SAT scores by 40 points when under stereotype threat. Yet these differences disappear in countries like Norway, Sweden, and Iran, suggesting biological explanations are insufficient.
How others treat us sends constant signals about our status. When we feel like we're on the "all-star team"-wearing high-status clothes or being in comfortable environments-we act boldly. When we feel like outsiders, our confidence diminishes. But confidence can be cultivated by mimicking confident behaviors: speaking fluidly, assertively, and frequently; maintaining relaxed, expansive posture; being expressive and commanding space; making eye contact when speaking but not when listening.
For those at the bottom of social hierarchies, confidence isn't simply about mindset-there's actual social pressure to remain quiet. Microaggressions constantly signal to certain groups they're on the "losing team"-through biased reading assignments, gendered insults in sports, dismissing medical symptoms, or attributing achievements to diversity measures rather than merit.
Confidence requires learning to ignore social evaluative threats. The truly confident brain has "mastered the fine art of not giving a flying fuck"-focusing on self-improvement rather than seeking approval from random strangers. True confidence comes from within and can't be taken away by others' opinions.
Chapter 7
Finding Your Natural Advantages
Donald Thomas became world champion high jumper just eight months after starting serious training. His success stemmed from a perfect storm of factors: world-class genetic endowment (particularly a large Achilles tendon), prior athletic conditioning from basketball, remembered technique from high school, access to elite coaching, and the confidence to compete at the highest level.
Genetics forms the first critical component of skill development. While 99.5% of human genetic code is universal, that tiny percentage difference creates vast performance disparities. Studies show 31-85% of athletic variation stems from genetics, with researchers identifying 155 genetic markers linked to elite performance. Even in music, biological constraints matter-Rachmaninoff's massive hands spanning twelve inches gave him advantage playing his own difficult compositions.
The myth that anyone can achieve expertise with 10,000 hours of practice ignores crucial genetic factors. A Swedish twin study revealed that regardless of practice time (even differences of 20,000+ hours), genetically identical twins scored similarly on musical ability tests. This exemplifies survivorship bias: we see gold medalists' hard work but miss their genetic advantages.
Beyond genetics, developing expertise requires substantial resources. Quality coaching, especially early on, proves critical. Michael Phelps benefited from a coach who identified his ideal swimmer's physique early and invested in his development. Most aspiring athletes follow a less optimal path, starting with infrequent, low-quality instruction before gradually increasing investment. Money provides crucial access-Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski's family spent $50,000 annually and mortgaged their home for her training.
The smartest path to expertise is finding what you naturally excel at compared to peers. Early success creates a positive feedback loop-winning increases testosterone and confidence regardless of competition level, making it easier to enjoy and persist through necessary practice. What distinguishes top performers is what they do when they don't have to do anything-the greatest skateboarders like Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen practice new moves even after competitions when others would rest.
No matter your physical capabilities, becoming an expert requires never saying "I quit." Even with natural talent, success demands unwavering dedication as you reach limits of resources, time, money, energy or genetic potential. Self-efficacy-believing you can accomplish what you want-may be the most crucial ingredient for success. How we're praised matters: children told they "are good" at something (versus "did good") give up more easily when facing setbacks.
To discover hidden talents, regularly try new activities and revisit old ones-you might have been wrongly discouraged by a teacher who was simply a "depressed, soul-crushing asshole." Notice what you do when you don't have to do anything. Find environments that motivate your learning style rather than making improvement unnecessarily difficult. Invest in quality lessons early for helpful, timely feedback. Remember it's never too late to learn something new-someone older always wishes they'd started at your age.
Chapter 8
The Discipline Factor: Self-Control Creates Opportunities
Self-control is a crucial component of creating your own luck. Derek Sivers exemplifies this-starting with a $500 investment in CD Baby that he built during a weekend and eventually sold for $22 million. His ability to focus intensely for hours, follow through on projects, and consistently set and accomplish goals led to his success.
Self-control isn't just a personality trait but a situational capability we all possess. Under pressure, we become efficiency machines-the essence of self-control is focusing energy on completing what matters. While intelligence suggests what you can do, conscientiousness (including self-discipline, order, and perseverance) determines what you're likely to do when pressure is off. Self-regulation-directing actions, thoughts, and feelings toward goals while ignoring distractions-accounts for half of what distinguishes high achievers.
Walter Mischel's famous marshmallow experiments showed that children who could delay gratification for larger future rewards had better life outcomes years later. Our ability to act for the future is partly biological-genetic differences in dopamine and serotonin receptors affect impulse control. Kids with better self-control become adults whose brains recruit more activity from the prefrontal cortex to override immediate rewards.
However, social factors matter too-children from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who doubt the system will deliver promised rewards are less likely to wait. Motivation depends on both how much we value a goal and our expectation it will actually happen. Growing up during economic downturns like the Great Recession makes people more likely to attribute success to luck rather than hard work. When you can't trust that long-term rewards will materialize, your focus shifts to immediate rewards.
Our brain makes its ultimate choices in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, but these can be overridden by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex-the responsible adult in our brain. This override process is metabolically expensive, requiring significant energy as neurons create persistent firing by exciting each other. Self-improvement is difficult because we must overcome habitual responses using the taxing "Adult" part of our brain.
Our appearance broadcasts powerful signals about our self-control. In times of plenty, self-control becomes especially attractive-people can't choose their genetic tendency toward obesity, but they face discrimination based on assumptions about character. Research shows an average-weight woman who loses twenty-five pounds would earn nearly $390,000 more over twenty-five years. We view physically fit people as more trustworthy and desirable partners because they appear to have their acts together.
Superior self-regulators arrange their environments to minimize the need for willpower in the first place. They choose stark offices to work in, quiet libraries to study, and restaurants that only serve healthy food. Champion athletes excel at emotional regulation, either by minimizing stressors or redefining anxiety as excitement-keeping negative emotions from snowballing.
The key to self-regulation is that knowing better means nothing unless you do better. Mental fatigue is simply your brain saying "this isn't worth it," so find ways to decrease perceived effort-make exercise enjoyable rather than a chore. Arrange your life so smart choices become default choices, like automatic bank transfers to savings accounts. When tempted, imagine your future self and which version of that person you're creating.
Chapter 9
The Social Connection Advantage
Leigh Steinberg, the sports superagent who inspired Jerry Maguire, exemplifies how relationships shape our fortunes. Despite personal setbacks including bankruptcy and alcoholism, Steinberg built an empire from a chance connection with a college football player he advised in a dorm. Life's randomness means we never know which connections might transform our futures.
Social rewards are primary rewards-as fundamental as food or water. We're evolutionarily wired to find pleasure in positive social interactions because our survival depends on group living. Knowing we can count on others makes us feel resourced to handle life's challenges. The capacity to enjoy social bonds has biological underpinnings-early childhood experiences shape our oxytocin and opioid receptors, determining how much pleasure we derive from social connection and how resilient we are to rejection.
Our social perceptions often betray us. In Kleck and Strenta's fascinating study, subjects with fake facial scars believed others were reacting negatively to their disfigurement, pointing out specific behaviors as evidence-shifts in chairs, staring, looking away. The shocking revelation: researchers had secretly removed the scars before interactions, meaning subjects were inventing these reactions entirely. This demonstrates how our expectations create self-fulfilling prophecies in social situations, interpreting ambiguous cues according to our pre-existing beliefs.
Social success requires genuine attention to others rather than self-absorption. Unlike people who monologue about themselves without noticing others have mentally checked out, people like Leigh Steinberg succeed socially because they're fundamentally motivated to connect rather than protect or enhance themselves. Creating genuine connections requires seeing others as complex individuals worthy of interest rather than focusing on our own insecurities.
Enthusiasm and engagement dramatically impact how others perceive us. Even without sound, thirty seconds of a professor's lecture can predict end-of-semester evaluations. Charisma emerges through expressive language, fluid gesturing, empathy, and inclusive "we"-based language that synchronizes brains and provides social rewards. Our mirror neurons activate when we understand others' emotions, allowing genuinely enthusiastic people to generate happiness in others.
Sociologist Katherine Giuffre's decade-long study of fine art photographers revealed three career trajectories: stable "invisible colleges" with consistent but limited success, "strugglers" with little recognition, and the truly successful artists who maintained "wide-ranging weak ties" across diverse networks. These successful artists didn't necessarily know more people-they knew different people whose connections spanned multiple communities. Their work received more attention in prestigious art journals because their diverse connections organically spread awareness across non-overlapping networks.
To develop social connections that enhance luck, befriend people of various ages and backgrounds. Rather than obsessing over how others view you (they rarely do), focus on being responsive and seeing the beauty in others. Charisma stems from emotional intelligence-being genuinely expressive and sensitive to others' well-being. Leave the house, as "good luck does not happen to those in a vacuum." Stay on good terms with your network and reach out to offer help, as people are more likely to assist those they perceive as both capable and willing to reciprocate.
Chapter 10
The Optimism Advantage: Believing in Future Success
This chapter explores how an optimistic mindset and high self-worth contribute to creating lucky outcomes. Using Kanye West as the quintessential example of self-belief, the chapter examines how continuously pursuing rewards rather than avoiding failures leads to taking more shots at life's opportunities. The truly successful maintain unwavering confidence despite setbacks and keep raising their aspirations.
Our position in social hierarchies significantly shapes our self-belief. Groups typically follow leaders who embody status-relevant traits-whether general qualities like height and attractiveness or specific skills needed for particular tasks. Those who match cultural stereotypes of success (like tech founders resembling Musk or Zuckerberg) benefit from expanded options and role models, making it easier to feel they belong and receive favorable evaluations.
While life contains much randomness, overestimating our control actually benefits us psychologically. Stress occurs when we perceive inadequate resources to handle challenges, but reframing hardships as growth opportunities helps maintain homeostasis. Social support, positive emotions, and a sense of purpose provide mental resources that build resilience, mental toughness and grit. Even seemingly irrational behaviors like superstitions and good-luck charms can improve performance by reducing anxiety and boosting confidence.
Gatekeepers value potential over achievement-they want to buy low and sell high on the Next Big Thing. Studies show we're willing to pay more for rookies with promising futures than established performers with proven track records. In one study, subjects offered a rookie athlete $1 million more per year than a veteran with identical stats. This preference for potential extends across domains-from art to comedy to restaurants-where we consistently prefer those framed as "could become the next big thing" over those who "have become" successful.
Without family money, entrepreneurship becomes significantly harder-risks aren't risky when you can afford them. Privilege remains invisible to those who have it; we don't see our advantages, just our struggles. Those without direct financial resources must invest in social capital instead. Happiness and optimism become crucial assets, as they help us focus on rewards rather than obstacles. Venture capitalists evaluate potential investments based on two forms of passion: emotional enthusiasm that generates charisma, and "cognitive passion" demonstrated through meticulous preparation.
To attract support, become a "perpetual motion machine" who demonstrates self-investment and sacrifice for future benefit. When seeking investment, emphasize your overall improvement trajectory to highlight potential. Visualizing your best possible self for twenty minutes increases optimism and motivation. While financial resources help, mental resourcefulness matters more-deal with problems immediately and maintain emotional control. True resilience isn't blind persistence but learning from mistakes. Challenge yourself to do more than you think possible, believe in your ability to perform at higher levels, and ask: "Why not me?"
Chapter 11
Embracing the Unknown: Curiosity as a Luck Magnet
Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO, exemplifies how curiosity and openness to new experiences create lucky outcomes. Born to Taiwanese immigrants with high academic expectations, Hsieh balanced good grades with exploring diverse interests-from programming to fencing to entrepreneurial ventures. This pattern continued through Harvard and into his business career, where his willingness to explore new ideas led to founding LinkExchange (sold for millions) and later joining Zappos (acquired by Amazon for $1.2 billion).
Donald Hebb discovered that lab rats exposed to enriched environments developed enhanced learning abilities compared to their cage-bound counterparts. Similarly, human curiosity-the willingness to engage with the new and unknown-creates a virtuous cycle that builds intelligence and opportunity. Curiosity accounts for up to 24% of individual differences in intelligence and improves academic performance by making learning enjoyable. The more we learn, the more connections we make between ideas, which both expands our mental toolkit and generates happiness.
We actively shape our environments rather than merely experiencing the world passively. The unknown presents both threat and promise, and our response to this duality profoundly influences our behavior. Through reciprocal interactions with our surroundings, small initial differences in approach create dramatically different life trajectories. Fear of rejection can make people shy away from social interactions, while aggressive tendencies may provoke hostile responses that confirm negative worldviews.
People like Hsieh respond to life's forks with nonjudgmental interest, constantly expanding their perception of future possibilities. The real magic happens when we allow new information to meaningfully impact our trajectory. Adaptability-using new encounters and transitions to our advantage-often means recognizing unexpected paths. As sociologist Dan Chambliss notes, "Part of the art of expertise is finding things you're good at," challenging the notion of merely persisting with grit.
Capitalizing on opportunities requires agility and flexibility. While we can't plan serendipitous collisions with perfect jobs or soulmates, we can increase their likelihood by frequenting places where they're more likely to happen. Trust-based networks and cultural events create opportunities that online interactions can't replace. The hedonic treadmill gradually increases our comfort requirements, making us scoff at experiences our younger selves would have treasured. Better opportunities can only enter when we relax our grip on current structures-the less we need, the more possibilities open up.
Flexibility is our best defense against life's unpredictability. Like species that survive by adapting to changing environments, we must cultivate comfort with transitions rather than rigidity. The most resilient approach combines faith that things will work out while developing qualities like optimism, resilience, self-control, and open-mindedness. Having faith-believing in something larger-inspires awe, promotes compassion, and makes us happier by helping us reframe difficulties as surmountable obstacles.
This practical guide to cultivating luck emphasizes flexibility and adaptability. We should define ourselves in complex terms as a buffer against depression while remaining open to possibilities. Survival requires adaptation-the lucky ones need fewer resources and adjust better to change. To capitalize on opportunities, make your life agile by minimizing financial overhead, saving money, and maximizing schedule control. Overcome stubbornness through humility and self-compassion, equating mistakes with learning rather than lack of intelligence. Focus on positive aspects of your environment while quickly learning from negatives. Assume good things about others and your future, approach the unknown to find rewards, and maintain curiosity, hunger and humility. Above all: say yes.
