essay on beginner's luck

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Elisa Gabbert on Writing and Capturing Beginner’s Luck

"i sometimes think you should just say the thing.".

The following  first appeared in Lit Hub’s  The Craft of Writing newsletter— sign up here .

For a period in the late 2010s, I had the good fortune of belonging to a regular poker game. Whenever someone new would join us, confessing they didn’t really know how to play, my friend Mike and I would tell them, “That means you’re going to win.” And they always did.

Beginner’s luck is real. Poker always depends on luck, but there’s something else, beneath the luck, that feeds the luck, a root system. Beginners aren’t afraid. They have no performance anxiety, because they have nothing to live up to. They don’t know the other players’ habits, so they have no distracting expectations. And they’re not afraid of their own cards, whether they’re especially good or bad, because they don’t know how good or bad their cards are; they have no internalized sense of the odds. They’re unafraid out of ignorance—you might say, unafraid for the wrong reasons—but fearlessness is still an advantage, and it’s a skill you have to relearn. Most players, after their beginner’s luck runs out, stay mediocre because they never do.

People say “Trust the process,” but I’ve found there’s a danger in trusting my writing process too much. Once a process becomes fully routinized, I’m not learning anything. I know I can write a short literary essay—what a friend of mine calls an “I noticed a thing” essay—of a thousand or so words. I wrote a book of those. I know I can write a research-based essay of about four thousand words, generally in three sections—almost three subsequent essays that become a super-essay. I wrote a book of those too. I know there’s a certain amount of material, mostly books and other writing, I can consume to have enough interesting thoughts to build an essay around. I didn’t always know that—I had to try and succeed many times in a row first. (The only measure of success: I liked the effect.)

A surprising thing happened when I published that second book of essays. A lot of people told me that the first one I’d written was their favorite in the collection. There was something a little bit off about that essay, something weird in the balance, something structural I’d done but didn’t really understand. I couldn’t trust the process yet, because I had no idea what my process was—I was trying something. I had to try something else with another of the essays, one of the last ones I wrote for the book, because I’d accidentally taken in too much material for a three-section essay. I had so many notes I couldn’t organize them that way; I needed a new system. I’d been reading Crowds and Power , so I took a page from Elias Canetti and wrote a bunch of short, discrete sections, like mini-essays, and gave them each a little title. It’s the longest piece in that book and the only one in that form, and other people told me that was their favorite essay. I think those two stand out because I didn’t quite know what I was doing. Unwittingly, I’d found a way to capture beginner’s luck.

Over the past year, while finishing another book of essays, I’ve been challenging myself to attempt a new formal approach with each of the essays, because I want to not know what I’m doing. I want to distrust the process. I read a memoir with no chapters or section breaks at all, just a long spill of paragraphs, and I found that fascinating, so I tried writing a long essay without any breaks. I tried a three-section essay but with much longer sections, each as long as one of my old super-essays—a super-super-essay.

It seems to me that students often turn in something great for their first assignment, and then their work gets worse for a while, after all the encouragement—now they’re too confident, now they have to fail, they have to learn what they don’t know. I like to cultivate conditions of the first-year student by “inventing” new structures. (There are no new structures, only structures new to me.) I love the game-like feeling of inventing a new set of rules. I often think, the more I write, that I’m not getting better as a writer, exactly. I’m getting more experienced, but I’m losing something too, the generative energy of cluelessness. And even if I am getting better, I still want my ambition to exceed my ability.

There’s a question, a craft question, that I’ve thought about for years and have never been able to answer: If there’s a line in a piece of writing, whatever the genre, that tells you “the point” of the piece, should it be in the piece? I sometimes think you should just say the thing . Clearly and directly. It may be the most quoted, most underlined part of the writing. Other times I think you don’t have to say the thing—not in a single sentence—because the piece as a whole implies the thing so strongly. The thing, the point (insofar as any piece of writing can be said to have a point), emerges from the writing. It will appear in the mind of the reader as a matter of course. And yet other times I think it doesn’t actually matter, and that I know a piece is done when I can take “the point” out or leave it in and the piece feels equally good either way. You can say the thing or not—the thing is still there.

I love this question because I can’t answer it. The most interesting problems in writing can’t be solved—or rather, they need to be solved over and over, every time you write. You come to them each time as a novice. This is why I write about the same things over and over. I find I have not solved the problem. I find I have more to say.

__________________________________

Normal Distance by Elisa Gabbert is available via Soft Skull Press.

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Does beginner’s luck really exist or is it all in our heads?

(Shutterstock Image: http://shutr.bz/1GZUAKE)

Beginner’s luck. It’s an idea that’s been around for generations. It even has its own Wikipedia page. But does it really exist?

To find out, I decided to investigate with my newly minted Drexel MD friend, Tom Schmicker. It all started last week, when we went to the bar to play some darts.

“I taught Avir, he’d never played before,” said Schmicker. “And the first time I beat him pretty badly. But the second time, he beat me and I was pretty surprised by that because he didn’t just beat me, he beat me by a lot.”

Let’s be clear. I humiliated him.

“I wouldn’t say you humiliated me, I would say you had a pretty good stroke of beginner’s luck.”

So this got us thinking. Beginner’s luck is more than just luck – it’s the idea that there’s actually some sort of tangible advantage to being a rookie, that you won because you were a beginner. But how does that work? You might have heard the idea of the beginner’s mind, in which a beginner is less bound by rules and is therefore able to outwit the more experienced player. Or the low vs. high pressure theory, in which the beginner expects nothing and therefore is not shackled by the pressure that the more experienced player feels.

These explanations make sense. The only problem is that we couldn’t find any references to back them up. And the more we thought about it, we started to wonder, is this phenomenon called beginner’s luck even real, or is it all in our heads?

Well, no, according to Larry Milliken. He’s the social sciences librarian at Drexel University, and I figured if there was something to find in the scientific literature, he could find it. At our request, he combed through multiple scientific, economic and psychological databases, looking for any evidence of beginner’s luck.

“I expected to find a number of articles taking a look at whether it existed,” he said. “I didn’t see any of that. What I saw instead was a number of articles looking at the belief in beginner’s luck.”

Even though beginner’s luck isn’t real, at least as far as any scientific study found, we do nevertheless perceive it. And as it turns out, that perception can influence us in very real ways.

To understand that, we need to go to Israel and check out a small research study about house sparrows. This was out of the department of zoology at Tel Aviv University.

“They took 60 sparrows, and then they let them forage on a plot of land,” said my friend, Schmicker.

The plot had food buried in it.

“But the plot of land was divided in half. On one side, they had these wells filled with food, and every well had a little bit of food in it.”

This side was the low-risk, low-reward side for the sparrows.

“On the other side, not every well had food in it, but some of the wells had a ton of food.”

That was the high-risk, high-reward side. You might dig and find nothing, or you might hit the jackpot. So they let the birds loose – they wanted to see which side the sparrows would prefer.

“Basically, it was completely random, which side the bird chose initially.”

But eventually..

“The sparrows began to exhibit preference.”

Some of the sparrows began to prefer the low-risk side, getting a few seeds everywhere they went. Other sparrows preferred to stay on the high-risk side, patiently searching for jackpots. And whatever strategy they chose, they stuck with.

So, you might ask, why wouldn’t a group of similar sparrows all follow the same strategy? What made them think differently? Was it gender? Was it genetics? Was it upbringing?

“So seven of the sparrows had beginner’s luck,” he said. “They went to the risky side and hit the jackpot”

And what’s interesting, is it was well worth the risk for the birds to go to the high risk area, because there was so much food there when they did find it.

House sparrows aren’t the only ones who can be forever changed by experiencing beginner’s luck. It can happen to us too.

You’ve probably heard many of the risk factors for developing a gambling addiction – male gender, unmarried, family history, the usual suspects. But another huge risk factor, one that doesn’t get much attention.. having had experienced beginner’s luck.

A Norwegian study of over 4,000 gamblers showed that 55 percent of at-risk gamblers had experienced beginner’s luck vs. just 21 percent of not-at-risk gamblers. This all leaves us in a strange place because beginner’s luck is an idea with no scientific backing. And yet our perception of beginner’s luck is very real and can create huge, lifelong changes.

So why do we so doggedly perceive something that isn’t there? To try to think it through, I spoke to Dr. Ed Gracely. He’s a professor of biostatistics at Drexel University. He told me about some of the common biases that could very well be playing a role.

“You tend to remember things that are interesting and salient,” he said. “What’s the point of remembering all the times you did something and nothing interesting happened? If you had played darts against your friend for the first time and lost badly, would we be here having a conversation about how interesting that was?” 

The fact that we remember the outliers much more vividly creates a flaw in our judgment.

“What you’re doing is you’re implicitly calculating how often it is that beginners win,” he said. “And if you try 20 different things, and one time you had this wonderful success, are you calculating that that’s one out of 20? Or are you remembering the one and forgetting the other 19?”

Beginner’s luck, most likely, is nothing more than a fluke. But it’s so spectacular that it sticks in our memory, we talk about it more often and we spread the belief. There may also be a more subtle bias at work here.

“Somebody who does really well, purely by chance, on their first try,” he said. “Let’s say they’re playing darts, like you. You probably decided you like playing darts, and you continue playing darts. So what have we got? We’ve got Avir who did really well, keeps playing darts, he’s got a memory of how well he did the first time.”

And the guy with no beginner’s luck gets no early encouragement, stops playing darts and isn’t around to tell other players about his lack of beginner’s luck.

“So the people who are still in the field, a disproportionately high number of them, have a memory of having done well their first time, even if that was just chance.”

And in this way, we’ve likely set the stage for a false belief to be truly felt and propagated. It makes sense.. but it’s still speculation.

I met up with Tom, back at the bar, hoping to find some closure, something definite. So I challenged him to another game of darts – a tiebreaker.

“And if I win, maybe it was beginner’s luck, but if you win, maybe you’re just some darts prodigy,” he said.

For what it’s worth, Tom won.

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How Beginner's Luck Works and How You Can Reproduce It Anytime (Even If You're Not a Beginner)

At some point in your life you've won a game you've never played before or witnessed a young child say or create something with worldly depth. These are both examples of events we attribute to something called beginner's luck , as if chance caused them to happen. The reality is that the effects of this supposed beginner's luck have very real causes that can be reproduced under the right circumstances. Here's how the phenomenon works and how you can use that information to incite good fortune when you need it.

Beginner's Luck Doesn't Exist

First things first, beginner's luck doesn't actually exist. This post is going to deconstruct the phenomenon that is often so surprising, so it's first important to understand what we're actually talking about. There are many reasons a novice can perform well, but we have to remember that they often perform poorly. Confirmation bias , or our desire to only accept evidence that affirms our strongly-held beliefs, is likely at work when we see beginner's luck in action. If you were to see an expert lose to a novice, it's easy to buy into the concept because it's exciting and widely believed that this kind of luck exists. What's probably happening in this moment is you're neglecting to realize the causes surrounding why this beginner performed so well. They could have a similar skill that aided them, the expert could be tired and underfed (causing them to think poorly), and the novice could be new to the task but have still done it before and failed multiple times. When you accept beginner's luck as an explanation, you're throwing out all sorts of data that could easily justify what happened.

How Beginner's Luck Occurs

The idea of beginner's luck can be caused by a numer of sources. Let's take a look at each of them and why their misinterpreted as chance.

To the Beginner, Anything Is Possible

We're often surprised and amazed by the way children think. They see things in ways we'd never think to see them, and there's a reason for that. It's well-explained in this quote from Buddhist monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki :

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.

A novice, like a child, isn't encumbered by experience and therefore hasn't convinced themselves of the right or wrong moves in a particular situation. This can be dangerous because it means they may try something stupid, but it can also be hugely beneficial because it means they'll find a more creative solution and take worthwhile risks. Experts draw upon their experience, which has its own advantages, but provides them with a limited scope. Because a beginner's behavior has so many possibilities, it can put an expert off of his or her game very easily. Experts develop strategies and habits, making it easier to dissect and understand their choices. Because a novice will often exhibit capricious behavior, it's difficult to expect what they'll do. When an expert tries to analyze a strategy that isn't really a strategy at all, that expert is likely to fail and the beginner is likely to win.

In a non-competitive setting, this is also extremely relevant. If you've ever worked on a software development team, you hopefully know the importance of testing your software with ordinary people. It's very easy to lose perspective on a project when you're familiar with nearly everything about it. Consulting something who has little-to-no familiarity with your work will provide a fresh perspective and may provide you with better answers than you can offer yourself.

Experts Choke Under Pressure

When you're great at something, you're under a lot of pressure to continue to perform at that high level. This can cause you to choke under pressure, even when up against a complete novice. Sian Beilock, author of Choke , explains what happens to your brain under pressure:

A lot of the explanation can be boiled down to the fact that, under pressure, the prefrontal cortex (the very front part of our brain that sits over our eyes) stops working the way it should. This can result in a lack of brain power available for demanding thinking and reasoning tasks (e.g., taking a test, responding to on-the-spot questions to a client) because worries about messing up co-opt these brain resources. However, under pressure, we also often try and control what we are doing in an attempt to ensure success. Too much attention to the details of activities that are best left outside conscious awareness (e.g., in golf, too much attention devoted to how your elbow is bent as you take a 3-foot putt you have holed thousands of times in the past) can disrupt a fluent performance and make you miss the hole.

Beginners don't have these issues because they don't particularly care how they perform. In all likelihood, they assume they're going to lose when they're going up against someone with a great amount of skill. When you don't care about the outcome, you're not encumbered by the pressure to perform. You don't have experience to draw upon, so you can't try to do so even if you wanted to. When an expert is set to choke and a novice manages to make a few good choices, the beginner's win has little to do with luck and a lot more to do with two brains operating very differently.

Experts May Trust Their Intuition Too Much

Just as over-thinking can cause an expert to choke, trusting their gut can cause problems as well. Most experts have some sort of muscle memory for the things they do and that generally works fine in predictable situations. When up against a beginner, or in an unusual situation, it can be a recipe for failure.

Muscle memory generally refers to physical actions, but it's really just a set of common instructions stored in your brain that are more generally referred to as procedural memories . Wikipedia offers a good explanation for what they do and how they're created:

Procedural memory is memory for how to do things. Procedural memory guides the processes we perform and most frequently resides below the level of conscious awareness. When needed, procedural memories are automatically retrieved and utilized for the execution of the integrated procedures involved in both cognitive and motor skills; from tying shoes to flying an airplane to reading. Procedural memories are accessed and used without the need for conscious control or attention. Procedural memory is a type of long-term memory and, more specifically, a type of implicit memory. Procedural memory is created through "procedural learning" or, repeating a complex activity over and over again until all of the relevant neural systems work together to automatically produce the activity. Implicit procedural learning is essential to the development of any motor skill or cognitive activity.

In many cases, you'll develop them without realizing it. These procedural memories can be extremely useful for repeat tasks, but as soon as you're thrown in a new situation or are up agains a capricious opponent you're suddenly at a disadvantage. Your hard-wired routines can cause you to act quickly without thinking, and that equals a mistake if the routine doesn't fit the task. Beginner's might be slower at the same task, but they're not already programmed to handle it a certain way. Their procedural memory is blank when they come to the table, so they can give the idea the right amount of thought before they act.

How to Fabricate Beginner's Luck for Yourself (Even If You're Not a Beginner)

The three previously mentioned sources of the beginner's luck phenomenon point to a few issues and disadvantages that you gain when you become good at something. It isn't easy to rid yourself of these problems, and you don't necessarily want to in many situations, but thinking like a novice can give you a greater advantage in your work and in many competitive circumstances as well. Here's what you need to do to make your own beginner's luck:

In every situation, consider what you've seen before and what's different. You can approach similar situations with your expertise, but don't apply that same experience to anything new.

Consider crazy ideas and strategies. The best ones often begin that way .

When you're sure something won't work, consider it anyway.

If you have an idea you really like but are afraid to try it, that's probably a good sign. The more afraid you are to share something you really like, the more likely that it is a unique idea and a worthwhile risk.

If you find yourself under pressure and over-thinking, listen to your gut instead of your brain. If you're under-thinking and acting too quickly, step back and take a moment to consider your options.

Think like a kid . Consider the problem from the perspective of someone who doesn't have your knowledge and how they would look for a solution. Throw away everything you know for a moment and look at what you see. You might encounter an answer far better than anything your experienced mind would normally produce.

This obviously takes a bit of practice, but it's something you can put into practice in your work every day. It'll keep you thinking fresh, just like a beginner.

Photos by lalan (Shutterstock), Dan Gerber (Shutterstock), Dmitriy Shironosov (Shutterstock), SuperFantastic (Flickr), Oleg Klementiev (Flickr), and Lindsey Turner (Flicker) .

Essay on Luck

Students are often asked to write an essay on Luck in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Luck

Understanding luck.

Luck is a mysterious concept, often defined as a force that brings good fortune or adversity. Some people believe in luck, while others think it’s just a result of their actions.

The Role of Luck

Luck plays a significant role in various aspects of life, including games, business, and personal relationships. It can sometimes lead to unexpected success or failure.

Luck Vs. Hard Work

While luck can influence outcomes, it’s crucial to remember that hard work and dedication are more reliable. Depending on luck can lead to disappointment, but effort usually pays off.

In conclusion, luck is an unpredictable factor in life. It’s important to focus on what we can control: our actions and attitudes.

250 Words Essay on Luck

The concept of luck, luck or probability.

Many argue that luck is merely a manifestation of probability and chance. Events with low probability of occurrence, when they do occur, are often deemed as ‘lucky’. For instance, winning the lottery is considered an act of luck due to the minuscule probability of any one ticket being the winner.

Perception and Interpretation of Luck

Our perception of luck can significantly influence our actions and decisions. Some people, known as fatalists, believe in the predestination of events, attributing their successes or failures to luck. On the other hand, those who believe in free will may dismiss the idea of luck, attributing outcomes to personal effort and choices.

Luck and Success

The role of luck in success is a contentious topic. While some successful individuals acknowledge the role of luck in their journey, others emphasize hard work and perseverance. It’s important to recognize that luck may open doors, but it’s one’s skills and determination that ultimately walk through them.

In conclusion, luck is a complex, multifaceted concept that intertwines with our perceptions of chance, fate, and personal agency. Whether or not one believes in luck, it’s undeniable that it plays a significant role in our discourse about success, failure, and life’s unpredictable nature.

500 Words Essay on Luck

Introduction.

Luck, a concept shrouded in mystery, is often considered an enigmatic force that randomly bestows fortune or misfortune upon individuals. It is a subject that has intrigued philosophers, scientists, and thinkers for centuries. This essay aims to delve into the nature of luck, its impact on our lives, and its relation to hard work and opportunity.

Luck and Hard Work

The relationship between luck and hard work is a contentious topic. Many argue that luck plays a minimal role in success, asserting that diligence, persistence, and skill are the primary determinants. However, others contend that luck is a crucial factor, as unforeseen opportunities or fortunate circumstances can significantly impact an individual’s trajectory.

The reality likely lies somewhere in between. While hard work and skill are essential for success, they do not guarantee it. Luck can provide opportunities that hard work alone might not, such as meeting the right person at the right time or being in the right place when an opportunity arises. Conversely, without hard work and preparation, one might not be able to seize the opportunities that luck presents.

Luck and Opportunity

In conclusion, luck is a complex and multifaceted concept that can significantly influence our lives. It is an unpredictable force that can alter the course of events, providing unforeseen opportunities or challenges. However, it is essential to remember that while we cannot control luck, we can control our actions, attitudes, and readiness to seize the opportunities that luck may present. Therefore, while luck can play a role in our lives, it is our hard work, preparation, and ability to recognize and seize opportunities that truly define our success. Thus, rather than relying solely on luck, we should strive to cultivate the skills, attitudes, and openness to opportunity that can help us make the most of whatever luck comes our way.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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Demystifying the Phenomenon of Beginner‘s Luck

Beginner‘s luck is a concept familiar to anyone who‘s ever tried their hand at a new game or activity. As the name implies, it refers to the uncanny success and good fortune that often seem to bless first-timers, allowing them to improbably triumph over the odds and more experienced opponents. Beginner‘s luck has inspired awe, curiosity, and skepticism for centuries. In this in-depth exploration, we‘ll unravel the mysteries behind beginner‘s luck and why it continues to endure as a source of wonder and speculation.

A Look at Classic Examples

We‘ve all seen beginner‘s luck in action. Here are some archetypal situations:

• The complete novice who steps up to the roulette wheel and somehow guesses the winning number on their very first spin.
• The first-time fisherman who inexplicably reels in a trophy-sized catch on their inaugural trip out on the lake.
• The rookie golfer who miraculously scores a hole-in-one on their premier time playing 18 holes.

In all of these cases, the lucky beginners accomplished feats that left seasoned veterans shaking their heads in disbelief. They succeeded against long odds when all logic suggested they should have failed miserably. Beginner‘s luck leaves us wondering: was it just a fluke, or is there more to it?

Psychological Explanations for Beginner‘s Luck

Over the years, psychologists and scientists have put forth a number of theories to demystify beginner‘s luck:

The Beginner‘s Mindset

Unlike veterans, beginners don‘t carry the burden of expectations and preconceived ideas about strategy. This allows them to be more relaxed, playful, and open-minded. Their creativity and willingness to try unconventional approaches can lead to unexpected success.

Confirmation Bias

After an episode of beginner‘s luck, we tend to remember it clearly and attach great significance to it, while discounting subsequent beginner failures. This distorted memory reinforces the mystique of beginner‘s luck.

Regression to the Mean

Extreme outliers become less extreme over time and more attempts. Extraordinary beginner victories are likely to be followed by more moderate results later.

While these theories help shed light on the phenomenon, none fully dispel the sense that beginner‘s luck defies rational explanation…

A Review of Relevant Research

Seeking hard evidence, researchers have aimed to quantify and measure beginner‘s luck in action:

In a 1991 study of Chinese poker players, beginners significantly outperformed chance predictions during their first 3 months of play.

However, a 2010 study of online poker found no beginner‘s luck effect – new players won at rates consistent with randomness.

The contrast suggests physical factors like body language and facial tells may influence beginner‘s success in live games. Online removes this dimension.

Additional studies have yielded similarly mixed results. Beginner‘s luck appears fleeting and highly dependent on the specific skill or game involved. But the research is limited by the difficulty of controlling for all variables. So the door remains open for those who believe beginner‘s luck has deeper origins.

Tips on Harnessing Beginner‘s Luck

Though success can‘t be guaranteed, novices can tilt the odds in their favor by:

• Tuning out expectations and pressure, just enjoying the thrill of discovery
• Balancing focused observation with an open, playful mind
• Leveraging intuition and instincts before rigid expertise develops
• Not becoming discouraged after inevitable beginner setbacks

With the right mindset and a bit of luck, beginners may ride an initial wave of success. But it‘s important not to become overconfident. Beginner‘s luck is usually short-lived…

When and Why Beginner‘s Luck Fades

As experience grows, early beginner‘s luck gives way to two forces which erode its influence:

Learning Curve : With repeated exposure, beginners gain knowledge and develop more realistic skill levels for the activity. They lose the benefit of fresh eyes and unconventional approaches.

Reversion to the Mean : As mentioned earlier, extremely improbable early successes become increasingly rare. Results trend toward the expected norm.

While disheartening, losing beginner‘s luck can motivate veterans to keep growing their skills or to recapture that playful, experimental mindset which served them so well originally.

Recapturing the Beginner‘s Mind

Even after we develop deeper expertise, glimmers of beginner‘s mind still exist below the surface. Some ways to tap into that again:

• Take a break to clear your head and reset rigid mindsets
• Learn a new variation or skill within the broader activity
• Return to fundamentals/basics and rework from the ground up
• Play for fun, ignoring pressure to optimize performance
• Teach someone else to bring a fresh perspective

Unlocking the beginner mind remains elusive. But doing so offers great rewards on the journey toward mastery…

Final Reflections on Beginner‘s Luck

Beginner‘s luck has inspired age-old superstitions around destiny and cosmic guidance. But a close examination reveals psychological and statistical forces likely at work. While the phenomenon retains some mystery, we can take steps to summon a beginner‘s mindset and outlook. With openness, levity, and continued growth, the spirit of beginner‘s luck lives on long after early successes fade. Though mastery requires much more than luck, welcoming each new experience with a beginner‘s freshness can open unseen possibilities on the path ahead.

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Beginners Luck: How Does It Work

Table of Contents

How beginner’s luck work, what is confirmation bias, wrapping up.

You’ve probably experienced this yourself – trying something out for the first time and having amazing success. This might be a game you’ve never played before or a dish you’ve made for the first time. It’s always amazing when a person wins a game they’ve never played before, especially when you’re beating veterans. We call this beginners’ luck.

The concept of beginner luck is typically associated with novices who succeed in their first attempt at a game, activity, or sport but are less likely to win in the long run.

For instance, we often hear of this term in casinos where first timers beat frequent casino-goers at a game. Or when a first-time slot player takes the pot. In some ways, this success can be attributed to chance, but there are several factors contributing to the success of a newbie.

Anything is Possible

A novice is like a child who seems to believe that anything is possible. The inexperience of newbies doesn’t bother them but rather gives them the confidence to be experimental.

First-timers don’t have preconceived notions about the right or wrong way of doing things. This lack of preconceived ideas may lead to carelessness. But many times, it works to the novices’ advantage because they can think out of the box and find creative solutions.

Beginners’ attitudes and behaviors have so many possibilities and outcomes, which experts have difficulty predicting. So, in many cases, the expert cannot analyze the newbie’s strategy, allowing the novice to win.

We see this all the time in sports where a first-time player comes out and makes a massive impact.

A Relaxed State of Mind

A person who is known to be exceptionally good at something faces enormous pressure to perform well each time. Experts tend to overthink and overanalyze every move and situation.

The high expectations can get on their nerves, so much so that they then end up choking under pressure.

In contrast, beginners are not bogged down by expectations. They have a more carefree attitude and often assume they will lose out to veterans due to their lack of skill or experience. 

Simply put, experts tend to choke while novices just relax and have fun. Wins achieved by newbies aren’t necessarily luck, but rather a result of their brains being more at ease and working differently than those of experts or veterans.

Not Relying on Intuition Excessively

Overthinking or analyzing can be the downfall of any veteran or expert. But there’s another cause of their downfall; trusting their intuition excessively.

Most veterans have already developed muscle memory as they do things routinely and constantly. Many times, they rely so much on muscle memory that they can no longer react quickly to new situations.

In contrast, novices don’t have procedural memory and often give the situation the right amount of thought and attention before making a move. These beginners then end up winning against their veteran opponents.

The superstition that beginners’ luck may surface can also be attributed to confirmation bias. This is a psychological phenomenon where the individual is most likely to remember things that fit their views of the world.

When someone claims to have experienced beginner’s luck many times, he or she is most likely only remembering the time when they won against experts. As a result of confirmation bias, individuals forget the many instances in which they lost or even placed last when trying something for the first time.

We often hear people grumble about beginner’s luck when a newbie experiences more success than experts. But in the end, it’s probably not luck that’s at work for novices. The relaxed state of mind is probably what caused them to do well the first time, as well as the lower expectations. Plus, there’s also the confirmation bias that only reminds them of the times they experienced winning on their first try rather than the many times they lost.

Dani Rhys has worked as a writer and editor for over 15 years. She holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and Education, and has also studied Political Science, Ancient History and Literature. She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. She works as the chief editor of Symbol Sage but also takes the time to write on topics that interest her.

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Beginner’s Luck

Meaning of idiom ‘beginner’s luck’.

Beginner’s luck refers to the success of a beginner at something; the unexpected success of a novice that seems unattributable to skill or cunning, similar to ‘ dumb luck .’

Usage Notes

The idiom beginner’s luck is something that is said to ‘brush away’ the seemingly undeserved success of a novice. It has no real meaning or significance and should be treated as a rhetorical or offhand comment.

Sentence Examples

“Don’t get cocky. You only won one hand of poker. It’s just beginner’s luck.”

“When I won the first match, my cousin called it beginner’s luck. When I kept winning, he just got angry and refused to play anymore.”

“Anyone can get a strike in bowling once in a while. I put it down to beginner’s luck.”

“This is the first cake I ever made and it turned out perfect! Of course, my mother-in-law called it beginner’s luck.”

“I won my first marathon. It has to be beginner’s luck.”

Used since the late 1800s.

More From Idioms Online

Lucky idioms: Talk about fortune or wish someone good luck

Do you consider yourself a lucky person? Whether you feel like luck is always on your side or you’re a bit down on your luck , these lucky idioms will help you describe the situation. You can also use some of these to wish someone good luck ahead of a big event.

Idioms can be hard to understand when you first see them, so we have included definitions and example sentences with all of these idioms about luck.

Lucky idioms

Beginner’s luck.

Talk about lucky idioms, and beginner’s luck may jump to mind. This is the good luck that people who are new to something are said to experience.

“I can’t believe that she only started gymnatiscs 6 months ago and won the champinonship today. Beginner’s luck I guess?”

Push your luck

This idiom about luck is not about good luck. When you push your luck , you are taking a risk by continuing to do something, hoping that you will be successful.

It suggests that you have already been fortunate to some extent, and now you should stop asking for more or continuing a certain action.

“Ok, I’ve lisened to your argument and can agree to a few small changes, but don’t push your luck.” “You had pancakes for breakfast and now you want an ice cream?! I know we’re on vacation, but don’t push your luck!”

The luck of the draw

Here’s an informal way to say that the outcome of something can’t be controlled and is simply down to chance.

The luck of the draw may be used as a sports idiom , said at sporting events in which teams are drawn out at random to play each other. However, you can also use it when discussing other situations you can’t influence.

“I can’t believe York City is playing Man United. I guess that’s just the luck of the draw!” “I’m gutted that I’m working the night shift all week, but that’s the luck of the draw sometimes.”

Although this idiom is not strictly about bad luck, it is generally spoken to offer some consolation when things didn’t work out as hoped.

Strike it lucky

Here’s another good luck idiom found mainly in British English. When you strike it lucky , you have unexpected good luck in a certain situation.

“I really struck it lucky and passed the test.”

A similar money idiom is to ‘strike it rich’, meaning to suddenly or unexpectedly acquire a great deal of money.

Luck on your side

Saying that someone has luck on their side is simply another way of saying that they are lucky. Often it is used in the past tense to say that they were fortunate with the outcome of a certain situation.

“Looks like luck is on our side today. My mother just called to say she won’t be coming to dinner after all.” “Although she was a novice she had luck on her side, and made her way into second place.”

Down on your luck

Conversely, someone who is down on their luck is having a string of bad luck, or it seems like things are just not going well for them in life.

“James seems down on his luck these days. He lost his job and then his girlfriend.”

Interestingly, the opposite ‘up on your luck’ is not a valid idiom about luck.

Some idioms about bad things happening could also be helpful to describe this kind of situation.

Lucky streak

Normally, a lucky streak would describe a string of wins in a casino while gambling. However, you can use it whenever someone keeps winning any kind of game, or indeed when they have just been fortunate in a series of events.

“She’s won ten games in a row. She’s really on a lucky streak.”

As luck would have it

Here’s a good luck idiom made popular by William Shakespeare. Nowadays, we simply say  as luck would have it , but originally it included the word ‘good’. This phrase describes a lucky occurrence.

“I thought I didn’t have any money for the taxi home, but as luck would have it, I found $10 in my jacket pocket!”

For more details on the play this is from and other Shakespearian sayings, enjoy our William Shakespeare idioms list .

You should be so lucky

Idioms about luck can be said about yourself, someone else, or a situation in general. If someone mentions that you should be so lucky , they are being informal and a little sarcastic. They are saying that whatever you are talking about is highly unlikely to happen or be successful.

“I entered the competition to win a new car.” “Ha! You should be so lucky!”

This luck idiom can be used in the first person too, to say that you doubt something will happen to you.

“Me, win the lottery? I should be so lucky!”

Born under a lucky star

This is a fun good-luck idiom that you’ll hear from time to time. When someone seems to be very fortunate or simply does well no matter what they apply themselves to, you could joke that they were probably born under a lucky star .

“I can’t believe that Dave is being fast-tracked to the management position. He really was born under a lucky star.”

It’s curious how quite a few star idioms are about luck and good fortune.

Happy-go-lucky

Although this looks like a lucky idiom, it is more about a personality trait. Someone who is happy-go-lucky is cheerful and unconcerned about the future; a relaxed person, who doesn’t plan too much and likes to take each day as it comes.

‘She’s such a happy-go-lucky child.”

Discover some more happiness idioms here.

Bless your lucky stars / Thank your lucky stars

The saying bless or thank your lucky stars is a lovely way to say you feel grateful for something or someone, or to suggest that someone else adopts this attitude.

“I thank my lucky stars I met you.” “You should bless your lucky stars that you have a stable income.”

This good luck idiom alludes to the ancient belief that the stars somehow had an influence over people’s destinies.

Third time lucky / Third time’s the charm

A good example of idioms heard more in the UK than the US , these lucky idioms are used to suggest that after failing at something twice, you will succeed on the third try.

“Yes, I’m so glad that worked. The third time really is the charm.’ “I’ve failed my driving test twice, but third time lucky!”

The number three is mentioned a lot in English idioms, like ‘third time lucky’, ‘bad news comes in threes’, and ‘three’s a crowd’. So why is the number three so popular ?

You’ll be lucky

On the surface, you may think that saying they’ll be lucky is just a nice way to wish someone good luck. In fact, it’s said sarcastically meaning the opposite: that actually, whatever is being hoped for is very unlikely to happen.

“Oh, he wants to borrow the car for the weekend, does he? Well, he’ll be lucky!”

The Best of British to you

Some of these luck idioms are mainly used in the UK. When you wish someone the best of British ; you are wishing them good luck even though you believe they may not be successful.

“You’re going to ask for a raise? The best of British to you!”

Here are some more British-themed idioms to look through.

Break a leg

Believe it or not, to tell someone to break a leg is actually a way of wishing them good luck. This phrase originated in theaters, where saying the words ‘good luck’ is seen as unlucky. However, this expression is commonly used in other situations nowadays too.

“I heard your first show is tonight. Break a leg!’

Fingers crossed

This lucky idiom is something that you can do as well as say. You can either say fingers crossed or actually cross your fingers as a sign that you wish for someone or something to succeed.

“Sue has her fifth driving test this afternoon, so fingers crossed she’ll pass!”

There are lots more idioms for success that you can use to celebrate achievements.

Pot luck / Potluck

This saying has two meanings, depending on how you spell it. To take pot luck on something is to take a chance that whatever is available will work out or be good enough.

“Let’s not book anywhere. We’ll just take pot luck and see what’s availble when we get there.”

The other way potluck is used is more of an American English term . It’s a party or meal style in which everyone brings a dish for the buffet to share with everyone else.

“What are you bringing for the potluck at church this weekend?”

M ore by accident than by design

When something goes well or is achieved simply due to coincidence or luck, rather than the skill or planning of the people involved, you may hear someone say that it was more by accident than design .

“In the end we won the new busines account, but honestly it was more by accident than by design.”

Murphy’s law

Finally, it only feels right to end the list of lucky idioms with the polar opposite: Murphy’s law. This is a belief that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. A common example of this is a slice of bread landing buttered side down when dropped.

‘I can’t believe it’s raining on my wedding day. Talk about Murphy’s Law!”

There really are plenty of lucky idioms and ways to wish someone good luck in English. Leave a comment if you have any questions or can think of other luck idioms to add to this list.

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beginner's luck

Definition of beginner's luck, dictionary entries near beginner's luck.

beginner's luck

Cite this Entry

“Beginner's luck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beginner%27s%20luck. Accessed 28 Jun. 2024.

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Nglish: Translation of beginner's luck for Spanish Speakers

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Hard Work — Success: Hard Work or Luck

Success: Hard Work Or Luck

• Categories: Hard Work Luck Success

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Words: 849 |

Published: Aug 24, 2023

Words: 849 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

The power of hard work, the role of luck, the symbiotic relationship, the role of preparation, cultivating a balanced perspective, cultivating a growth mindset, conclusion: a holistic perspective.

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Meaning of beginner's luck in English

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• bad/hard/tough luck! idiom
• be bad luck on someone idiom
• be down on your luck idiom
• be in/out of luck idiom
• fortune smiles on someone idiom
• get the short end of the stick idiom
• misadventure
• with any luck idiom
• your luck's in! idiom

beginner's luck | Intermediate English

Translations of beginner's luck.

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at the coalface

doing the work involved in a job, in real working conditions, rather than planning or talking about it

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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Definition of beginner's luck noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

beginner's luck

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

beginner's luck

He put the ball in the net but as I said to him, I don't know if it's beginner's luck, but he needs to practise a bit more before he'll be able for the team.

Submitted by acronimous on May 18, 2017

Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to beginner's luck.

as luck may have it be in luck luck in luck into luck out down on one's luck devil's luck shit out of luck luck out out of luck bad luck push one's luck luck of the draw dumb luck

How to pronounce this phrase?

• Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

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