I’ve got a word stuck in my craw lately. It’s “lucky.”

Every time a client or a friend or, frankly, anybody says I’m lucky to be doing what I love for a living, the hair on my neck stands up. When a discussion of career paths comes up in conversation and the folks who earned a degree in something they thought would get them a job, and then took the first job that came along, start spouting the “L” word in reference to people who pursued their passion, I see stars.

Let’s get this straight. Whether you look up “luck” or “lucky” in the dictionary, the word “chance” appears in the definition. If all through high school you are crazy about drawing and you select marketing as your major in college and then at age 37 decide you’re not drawing for a living because you’re just not lucky, you’re wrong. Chance never had a chance. Furthermore, saying other people are lucky because they made choices based on their gifts is a cop-out.

Take this oft-repeated quote by Seneca, a Roman philosopher from mid-1st century AD -- “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It becomes clearer with a concrete example. Let’s say your dream is to write a screenplay and find an accomplished director to take it on. Then let’s say one day you get on a plane and you’re sitting next to Steven Spielberg. You engage him in conversation and he is open to taking a look at your screenplay. The problem is, you haven’t written it. Now you’re just another guy with an unrequited dream.

Where’s the preparation in that scenario? It’s non-existent. So then is the opportunity really an opportunity? The luck formula goes out the window.

“People often remark that I'm pretty lucky,” Frank Sinatra said. “Luck is only important in so far as getting the chance to sell yourself at the right moment. After that, you've got to have talent and know how to use it.”

Bingo. Recognizing your talents and gifts and not ignoring them. Cultivating them. Preparation is king.

The good news is, it’s never too late to turn your course. In fact, I believe it is this desire hitting people in their 30s, 40s, 50s or older that has made life coaching such a vibrant business these days. It’s like this whole group of people blinked, 20 years went by, and now they realize they want to be one of the “lucky” ones. They make a bucket list – things they want to do before they die -- and realize there are a few ways they can go if they want to feel more fulfilled.

I love helping people see this. Once they awaken to the realization that things will start happening when they pay attention to the neglected gift or passion, it’s like magic. I have a client who’s writing a Broadway musical – an idea he’s had for ages and just started acting on -- and every time we meet he regales me with stories of circumstances that have lined up to buoy him on his path. This is how it can work if people choose it.

“The day you decide to do it is your lucky day,” goes a Japanese proverb.

In other words, a big part of this is in your control. It’s not a mystery. Pay attention to your passion and your gut. Work hard. Stay determined, open, persistent. Prepare for the outcome you want.

What’s luck got to do with it?

Surely something. But certainly not everything. Not even close.

Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com.