...Something came across my desk recently... well, it came in my email recently, and I was reminded how hard we actually have to work for a living. Some of us don't have to work that hard, and others work very hard. I supposed it depends on the person, their work ethic and the job that they are doing.

But I got to thinking... we make our own fortunes and fame. Luck does not bring them to us and some subscribe to the idea that they make their own luck. I, too, partly subscribe to that notion. I think that fate can be altered slightly depending on what paths that lie before you and no one's going to hand you money on a silver platter. Or good fortune...

Spams and chain mails and all that rot don't work. Not that I bother to try them - and even if you try and convince me that they do work I'll point at coincidences in your life that led straight to this. An inheritance, a lawsuit settlement, an unexpected credit to your bank account because someone messed up somewhere. Something good happened that you've been working hard for, and it only happened *after* you forwarded a chain mail (read: you spammed your friends and family).

That's coincidence, not because of the spam. I'll guarantee that you either have more people annoyed by the spam who are deleting it rather than passing it on. Oh sure, you might have a few souls thinking "Oh, s/he really thinks this is going to work, I guess I'll think some good thoughts for them because they must really need something to happen" but I'll wager that those are few and far between.

Now, you *are* going to have those folks who will profess that it really works because they're forwarding *everything* they can to you because in some cosmic coincidence they managed to have a great bit of good fortune fall on them after sending such an email. Good luck trying to get off their email lists.

Oh sure, I've forwarded my small share of emails with the "pass this one to x people and (insert miraculous thing you really want to happen) will happen" - but I always delete those pieces or disclaimer them that I'm sharing the sentiment and not the chain letter. I haven't, however, forwarded one of those in a very long time because I realized how spammy they were. And that the disclaimer was just an excuse. No, it's not that I've stopped believing in miracles and magic. It's that I believe in less spam in our inboxes. And I believe in working hard for a result.

I've always believed that. Working for the last 14 years in various start-ups further banged that into my head. Hard work usually pays off. Usually. And if you're not being recognized within your work structure, then there's one of two options you have: either move on to somewhere where they recognize and appreciate you, or learn to appreciate yourself and stop looking for the "good doggy" pat on the head that you're after.

You make your own good luck, you find your own good fortune. You work hard and line that nest egg, savings and checking accounts and 401(k) so that you can retire happily. You are proud of your accomplishments that have gotten you to this place. Believing more in the superstition of sending something around in pre-payment for luck or money makes me wonder what other thing you potentially give up because you're hoping for the miracle out of nowhere instead of working for the result that's right in front of you. After all, we all know that you can't follow rainbows to the end hoping to find a little Irish red-haired man in a green suit with gold buckles on his shoes...

...even if it's fun to try with your 5 year old.