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Lucky People: A Neuroscientist's Guide to Attracting Luck, Cultivating Success and Leading a Happier Life
Lucky and unlucky people often encounter similar situations and setbacks in life. But the way they view and think about the circumstances differs, as does the way they deal with them. So, what are the common lifestyle patterns, mindsets, and outlooks of lucky people?
Nobuko Nakano is a neuroscientist who argues that luck isn’t random but can be cultivated through intentional actions. We can become lucky through our mindset and behaviour. Certain behaviours attract luck, such as taking calculated risks, expanding social networks and reframing setbacks. Our thoughts and actions shape how our brain processes information and affects how we interact with the world. If we believe in good outcomes, we are more likely to act in ways that will make them happen. This is science-based self-help and an expert take on a fascinating subject that can at first seem irrational and unpredictable.
Nobuko Nakano is a neuroscientist who argues that luck isn’t random but can be cultivated through intentional actions. We can become lucky through our mindset and behaviour. Certain behaviours attract luck, such as taking calculated risks, expanding social networks and reframing setbacks. Our thoughts and actions shape how our brain processes information and affects how we interact with the world. If we believe in good outcomes, we are more likely to act in ways that will make them happen. This is science-based self-help and an expert take on a fascinating subject that can at first seem irrational and unpredictable.
- GenresAudiobook
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 3, 2026
Un libro pieno di suggerimenti sul come vivere felici, pieno di evidenze scientifiche che spiegano l'effetto benefico di pensiero positivo e preghiere
May 18, 2026
This is the best kind of non-fiction. Written by an actual expert scientist in a simple and clear tone. Brief, neat and digestible. A little dense though. If your mind wanders off, you have to go back a few pages.
I have taken some notes for myself for future reference. Don't read the rest if you don't want factual spoilers:
Say “I’m lucky” out loud because brain consideres it as outside info and more than one channel is used to access the brain which makes it more permanent.
Say “I love you” to yourself out loud. If you have a positive self image about yourself and you remind yourself of your positive image before doing something, you succeed and score better in the task that you do.
Write goals on a piece of paper & pin it where you can see.
Lucky people pray 🤲 in some form everyday. Not necessarily religiously. Positive feedback works because we’re simple and stupid. Include more people in your prayers. Your brain understands the distinction between bad prayer and good prayer even if it is subtle.
Also pray for the good of your enemies. Your enemies occupy your mind more often than you would like. Enemies are best teachers for tolerance. What you dislike in them is also in you.
Pray with intent every morning and night. Not out of habit.
Value yourself. Pay attention to your appearance. Have a tidy home. Like yourself. These pay off in the long run.
Don’t work on your weaknesses too much. Capitalise on your strengths. Don’t try to change yourself. Instead make most of the person you already are.
All luck is generally 50-50%. Mentally capitalise on good luck and mentally deflect bad luck through conduct and thinking. This makes you lucky automatically.
Consciously choose the fun option about the correct one whenever possible. Adults forget to choose the fun option because they are so used to picking the correct one. When you picked the fun option, it is more likely that you get good results and when you get good results, it is even more fun than you get even better results. It’s a feedback loop. Use it. Have fun.
Low monoamine oxidase & high seratonin equals low anxiety. Low anxiety people think ahead and consider future. High anxiety men are aggressive and high anxiety women date for financial gain.
Surround yourself with lucky people so your mirror neurons activate by seeing the patterns they behave. Observe and mirror lucky behavior. It doesn’t matter if it’s an illusion. You will be luckier. Facts.
Luckies are early to bed and early to rise. Basic human anatomy.
Moderate exercise, relaxing bath. Triptofan required for Seratonin. Red fish, meat, dairy products, B6, garlic, red paper, sesame.
Fantasize success, fantasize being praised = free dopamine. Dopamine is when you win and being praised. Fantasising success makes your heart beat faster.
To bed early and up early, exercise, relax in bath = free serotonin.
Care for people. Oxytocin increases learning and memorizing. Caring for sb increases Oxytocin. So caring for someone else improves you.
Stress in moderation and regularly is best for brain. Lucky people flourish and develop with stress. Brain forms synapses when stressed unlike when comfortable. You can get better at enduring stress just like as weightlifting. 2 hours of stressful studying one day and then 2 hours and 5 mins of stressful studying is possible.
Lucky people take risks: It changes the quality of the content that happens by chance.
If there are 2 people you can date, say one will go out with you 100% and other will go out with you 50% but second is 2x fun. Humans are apes, they will heavily pick the 50% chance person.
Lucky people live in harmony with others.
Success is good but not too much. Let others be. “Better” is better than “best”. When you win everything, no one else survives, you are alone and then there’s no society.
Luckies are gracious. Conduct yourself with dignity. Tit for tat. Don’t honk aggressively. Maximize mutual benefit. Retaliate when attacked but immediately revert to cooperative when they do.
Sole focus on immediate success and focus failure can not build good relationships.
Brain performs better doing sth for someone else. It is equal to receiving a cash prize and being praised. Praise IS reward. Self praise is also reward.
Care for family, work, neighbors, town, countrymen. In that order.
Compliment others. Attitude, cloth, hair. Sincere praise is reward for both parties. Praise that is true though. People can smell bullshit.
Praise girl for smart, praise boy for knowing insects. Don’t scold him. Makes the girl happier.
When you help when you assist your brain judges you as a good person. Free social reward. You also get return reward.
If you’re not clear on your values, you can be persuaded by public opinion and general values. Because you can not judge what is good for you when you’re not clear.
If you give up in a race your chance is now zero.
Ultimate victory has a prerequisite stay in the game and persist forward.
Accept setbacks and hardships. Accept and move on.
Your goals, keep them in mind and in front of your face. Picture. Vision board.
Double checking your goals is good. Are they actually your goals?
Money, looks, education are instruments that makes others goals come true. What comes after riches? Athletic? What is the real goal. DO VISION BOARD! Look at it often. Picture yourself already there.
When doing sth difficult keep in mind your circle. I keep in mind my son.
Make goals more social. Losing weight etc. Then it is more achievable.
Placebo-Nocebo effect exist.
I have taken some notes for myself for future reference. Don't read the rest if you don't want factual spoilers:
Say “I’m lucky” out loud because brain consideres it as outside info and more than one channel is used to access the brain which makes it more permanent.
Say “I love you” to yourself out loud. If you have a positive self image about yourself and you remind yourself of your positive image before doing something, you succeed and score better in the task that you do.
Write goals on a piece of paper & pin it where you can see.
Lucky people pray 🤲 in some form everyday. Not necessarily religiously. Positive feedback works because we’re simple and stupid. Include more people in your prayers. Your brain understands the distinction between bad prayer and good prayer even if it is subtle.
Also pray for the good of your enemies. Your enemies occupy your mind more often than you would like. Enemies are best teachers for tolerance. What you dislike in them is also in you.
Pray with intent every morning and night. Not out of habit.
Value yourself. Pay attention to your appearance. Have a tidy home. Like yourself. These pay off in the long run.
Don’t work on your weaknesses too much. Capitalise on your strengths. Don’t try to change yourself. Instead make most of the person you already are.
All luck is generally 50-50%. Mentally capitalise on good luck and mentally deflect bad luck through conduct and thinking. This makes you lucky automatically.
Consciously choose the fun option about the correct one whenever possible. Adults forget to choose the fun option because they are so used to picking the correct one. When you picked the fun option, it is more likely that you get good results and when you get good results, it is even more fun than you get even better results. It’s a feedback loop. Use it. Have fun.
Low monoamine oxidase & high seratonin equals low anxiety. Low anxiety people think ahead and consider future. High anxiety men are aggressive and high anxiety women date for financial gain.
Surround yourself with lucky people so your mirror neurons activate by seeing the patterns they behave. Observe and mirror lucky behavior. It doesn’t matter if it’s an illusion. You will be luckier. Facts.
Luckies are early to bed and early to rise. Basic human anatomy.
Moderate exercise, relaxing bath. Triptofan required for Seratonin. Red fish, meat, dairy products, B6, garlic, red paper, sesame.
Fantasize success, fantasize being praised = free dopamine. Dopamine is when you win and being praised. Fantasising success makes your heart beat faster.
To bed early and up early, exercise, relax in bath = free serotonin.
Care for people. Oxytocin increases learning and memorizing. Caring for sb increases Oxytocin. So caring for someone else improves you.
Stress in moderation and regularly is best for brain. Lucky people flourish and develop with stress. Brain forms synapses when stressed unlike when comfortable. You can get better at enduring stress just like as weightlifting. 2 hours of stressful studying one day and then 2 hours and 5 mins of stressful studying is possible.
Lucky people take risks: It changes the quality of the content that happens by chance.
If there are 2 people you can date, say one will go out with you 100% and other will go out with you 50% but second is 2x fun. Humans are apes, they will heavily pick the 50% chance person.
Lucky people live in harmony with others.
Success is good but not too much. Let others be. “Better” is better than “best”. When you win everything, no one else survives, you are alone and then there’s no society.
Luckies are gracious. Conduct yourself with dignity. Tit for tat. Don’t honk aggressively. Maximize mutual benefit. Retaliate when attacked but immediately revert to cooperative when they do.
Sole focus on immediate success and focus failure can not build good relationships.
Brain performs better doing sth for someone else. It is equal to receiving a cash prize and being praised. Praise IS reward. Self praise is also reward.
Care for family, work, neighbors, town, countrymen. In that order.
Compliment others. Attitude, cloth, hair. Sincere praise is reward for both parties. Praise that is true though. People can smell bullshit.
Praise girl for smart, praise boy for knowing insects. Don’t scold him. Makes the girl happier.
When you help when you assist your brain judges you as a good person. Free social reward. You also get return reward.
If you’re not clear on your values, you can be persuaded by public opinion and general values. Because you can not judge what is good for you when you’re not clear.
If you give up in a race your chance is now zero.
Ultimate victory has a prerequisite stay in the game and persist forward.
Accept setbacks and hardships. Accept and move on.
Your goals, keep them in mind and in front of your face. Picture. Vision board.
Double checking your goals is good. Are they actually your goals?
Money, looks, education are instruments that makes others goals come true. What comes after riches? Athletic? What is the real goal. DO VISION BOARD! Look at it often. Picture yourself already there.
When doing sth difficult keep in mind your circle. I keep in mind my son.
Make goals more social. Losing weight etc. Then it is more achievable.
Placebo-Nocebo effect exist.
November 8, 2025
Manuale ben scritto con riferimenti alla vita reale da mettere in pratica (probabilmente con molta difficoltà).
È un libro di crescita personale che, come tutti i libri di questo filone, non ti cambiano veramente ma ti aiutano a percepire le cose in maniera diversa dando spunti di riflessione per provare a vivere meglio.
A chi lo consiglierei: a coloro che stanno pensando di iniziare un percorso di miglioramento personale per poterlo stimolare a continuare su questa strada
È un libro di crescita personale che, come tutti i libri di questo filone, non ti cambiano veramente ma ti aiutano a percepire le cose in maniera diversa dando spunti di riflessione per provare a vivere meglio.
A chi lo consiglierei: a coloro che stanno pensando di iniziare un percorso di miglioramento personale per poterlo stimolare a continuare su questa strada
March 23, 2026
This book was really helpful in order to remind me to take care of myself and that being good with the others and me can really impact my life. I really loved the scientific explanations, they were really fascinating and interesting: I had no clue there was such a science behind luck!
May 2, 2026
A quick and straight forward read as many Japanese philosophy and wellness books are. The Japanese really do have a knack of simplifying life and just like Ikigai & The Courage To Be Disliked, Lucky People is on point
February 15, 2026
Molto interessante il metodo di utilizzare substrati neurobiologici per spiegare un concetto che altrimenti sarebbe astratto
April 18, 2026
Leggero, mi sono piaciute le connessioni con gli effetti neuroscientifici di determinate abitudini e atteggiamenti.
May 31, 2026
Me encantooooo!
Did Not Finish
March 15, 2026interessante, ma non tanto da comprarlo
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews