Yesterday started off pretty much like any other day. I woke up, got out of bed, went for a walk and made breakfast. I cracked opened my soft boiled egg, just the way I do every day, and there it was....a double yolk!

Now, I don't know what you were brought up to believe, but in my house a double yolk egg meant one of two things -- either financial abundance was on the way or the receiver was carrying twins! Well, God may work in mysterious ways, but I know I'm not having twins!

Yes, from this moment on or at least for the next 24 hours, financial abundance would be coming my way.

First on the day's agenda a phone call with a potential new client, a woman entrepreneur with a smart business concept. Our 30 minute conversation clearly uncovered her needs for business coaching and my experience is perfect for assisting her in getting her focused and prepared to launch her startup. We agreed to work together and I signed her up and scheduled our coaching sessions.

Obviously, this was just the beginning of my very lucky day!

Next, I dove into my email as I make sure to respond to everyone and anyone who emails me within 24 hours. Ahha, an opportunity to write an article on mentoring for a business magazine, unsolicited by me and out of the blue! This is a great day!

So, I email my photo and bio and promise for what will be an insightful column on the benefits of mentoring and move on to a dozen or so more emails. Good news from one and all. There are offers to speak on women's leadership at corporate events, invitations to special holiday parties and well-designed slides for a presentation on how to grow your business webinar planned for later this month.

Time to get the mail and see what the post office offers. No bills, no junk mail, a couple of holiday cards (some people are really pushing the holidays this year), and a check...payment from a client who promised she would pay me when her business picked up.

That's it! I have to buy a lottery ticket today. I never, and I mean NEVER spend money on lottery tickets, but with good luck on my side today how can I possibly turn down an opportunity to get rich?

Off to the convenience store and into the line behind several people who look like this is not a new experience for them. I immediately tell my fellow queue hopefuls about my double yolk. They are clearly impressed and know why I have chosen this special occasion to purchase a ticket. "I'll have a triple win ticket for $1 please," I say. (Good things happen in threes I believe). I asked the gentleman standing next to me to help me scratch, being carefully not to remove the VOID IF REMOVED spot. We'll what do you know I have 2 twos! I win $10!

Back to the end of the line to reap my reward. Getting high fives all around. It has been a banner day and now this. "Would you like cash or tickets?" the cashier asks.

I review my day....

a new client;

an offer to write an article; (I've been a publisher and authored a book)

an invitation to speak; (I have been speaking for more than 30 years)

holiday invitations; (I have 60 years of friends and business associates)

a check from a client I have done the work for; (I earned it)

perfectly design slides for an upcoming webinar presentation. (That's what they do well).

"No thanks", I say. "I'll take the $10"!

You can't win at the lottery if you don't play. (I'm not suggesting you start).

More importantly, you can't win at business if you don't do the work. The hard work, the due diligence of building a brand, creating visibility for yourself and your business, treating people with the respect that they deserve, putting in the time it takes to earn the right to be seen as credible and reliable. If you want to be seen as a thought leader, you must spend time learning, exploring and discovering what is happening in your field of interest. If you want to be successful in business you MUST put your time in and earn the business.

Every once in a while luck will find you, but it most likely occurs when you make your own.

This morning I started off with another soft boiled egg - no double yolk.

Today, I'll make my own luck.