You Can’t Get Lucky Sitting Still: Why the Best Opportunities Come from Being in Motion
I was sitting on the BART train heading home from San Francisco, trying not to cry in front of strangers, when my phone buzzed.
It was a recruiter.
Not for me.
For a role I would’ve been perfect for. Sent to a buddy of mine who’d been grabbing coffee with people in the industry for months.
He wasn’t smarter than me. He wasn’t more qualified.
He was just in motion.
And I wasn’t.
That moment stuck with me. Because it forced me to confront something I didn’t want to admit at the time:
lifeLuck isn’t random.
It’s created.
I share this with every client I work with as a life coach and career coach in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Luck is a collision sport. If you want more of it, you need more collisions. More conversations. More being in rooms with people. More reps.
Because opportunity doesn’t come from thinking about your life. It comes from being in it.
The Research Nobody Likes Hearing
Back in 1978, a neurologist named Dr. James Austin proposed that luck isn’t one thing. It comes in different flavors. The one that changed how I think about careers is what he called the Kettering Principle. The short version? Chance favors those in motion. When you move, explore, and put yourself in new environments, you create collisions that produce opportunities.
It’s not magic. It’s math.
Richard Wiseman backed this up with a 10-year study. He tracked people who described themselves as “lucky” and “unlucky.” The biggest difference? Lucky people talked to more strangers. They varied their routines. They said yes to invitations more often. Unlucky people stayed in the same patterns, avoided social risk, and waited for opportunity to come to them.
No secret formula. No hidden talent.
Just behavior.
I think about it like this: a still rock sitting in the ocean doesn’t catch much. But a big net being dragged through the water catches everything. Every conversation, every new room, every small experiment increases your surface area for luck.
If you want to simplify it: more movement, more exposure, more opportunity.
If You’re Early in Your Career
I see this one all the time. You’re sitting at home applying to jobs, refreshing LinkedIn, tweaking your resume for the 47th time... and nothing is happening.
And it’s frustrating, because you’re doing what you’ve been told to do.
But here’s the truth. People don’t hire resumes. They hire people. Most jobs don’t come from applications. They come from conversations. Someone meets you. They like you. They think of you later. That’s how it actually works.
If you’re only applying online, you’re playing maybe 10% of the game. The rest happens out in the world.
Job hunting is a full contact sport: You can’t play it from your couch.
So instead of asking, “How do I get a job?” start asking, “How do I meet more people doing work I’m curious about?” That’s a completely different game. Informational interviews with people in roles you’re curious about. Alumni calls and coffee chats. Meetups, industry events, volunteering. Working from a coffee shop instead of your bedroom.
Every single one of those is a collision waiting to happen.
And look, I get that reaching out feels scary. So let me make it simple. Here’s your script: “I’m early in my career and really interested in your field. Would you be open to a 20-minute conversation about your path?” That’s it. Most people will say yes because most people remember being 23 and terrified.
Here’s the reframe: You’re not asking for a job. You’re asking for a conversation.
Why does this work better than blasting out 75 applications? Because every conversation gives you real data. You learn the language of the industry. You pick up on what hiring managers actually care about. You get referrals and “we weren’t hiring, but now that I’ve met you...” moments. Collisions reveal the hidden job market that job portals will never show you.
Your collision plan: Reach out to two people a week and ask for a 20-minute conversation. One in-person event or meetup per month. Work or study in public at least once a week to keep your social muscles warm. That’s it.
If You’re Mid-Career and Something Feels Off
This is the one I know best. Because I lived it.
Everything looks good on paper. Good job. Good salary. People respect you. But there’s this low-grade feeling that doesn’t go away. You keep thinking, “I should be happy.” But you’re not. The Sunday Scaries start hitting on Saturday afternoon. You’re scrolling LinkedIn watching everyone announce promotions and feeling like you’re falling behind.
I talk to people in this exact spot every week in my career coaching practice here in Scottsdale and Phoenix. And here’s what I tell them: you can’t think your way into a new life sitting alone in your head.
Believe me, I tried. I ran thought experiments for months before I made my own career transition. Doom-scrolled job boards at midnight. Played out scenarios while staring at the ceiling. None of it moved the needle.
You know what did?
Talking to people.
Getting out of my own head and into other people’s worlds. Hearing how they got where they are. Seeing what their day-to-day actually looks like. Noticing what energized me and what didn’t.
Clarity didn’t come from thinking. It came from exposure.
So I tell my clients to start having what I call “curiosity coffees.” Not networking. Not “let me pick your brain” (please never say that). Just genuine curiosity. Sit down with someone who seems energized by their work and ask them what lights them up. Talk to people who’ve made the kind of pivot you’re considering. Shadow someone for a day. Volunteer for a project outside your lane.
I had a client who started doing one coffee a week with people in different roles. That’s it. Within a couple months, she got pulled into a project at her company she wouldn’t have even known existed otherwise. Six months later, she was in a completely different role that fit her way better.
Nobody handed that to her. She just put herself in motion.
Your collision plan: One curiosity coffee per week. One small experiment per month, whether that’s a course, a side project, a volunteer role, or writing something and putting it out there. One piece of public thinking per month on LinkedIn or wherever your people are.
If Things Are “Fine” Right Now
This is where people get caught off guard. Because when things are fine, you stop moving. You stop reaching out. You stop meeting new people. You stay in your lane.
Until something changes. And then you’re starting from zero.
I’ve been fired three times in my career. Even saying it is a little embarrassing, but it’s the truth. And every single time, the people who helped me land on my feet were people I’d built relationships with before things went sideways. Not the ones I frantically reached out to after.
So think about networking differently. It’s not a fire extinguisher you break out in emergencies. It’s brushing your teeth. You do it consistently so the emergency never gets that bad.
The best networkers I’ve seen don’t “look for jobs.” They’re genuinely curious about other people at their company and beyond and have conversations and lunch with new people routinely. When they’re ready for a change, they activate a web of people who already know them and want to help. That’s the difference. That’s the surface area for luck.
Your collision plan: Grab coffee with someone outside your immediate team once a week. Send a message to someone you’ve been meaning to reconnect with. Say yes to something you’d normally skip. One new external touchpoint per week.
Why This Is Harder Than It Sounds
Because it’s uncomfortable. A body at rest wants to stay at rest. COVID turned a lot of us into resting bodies, and the remote work era made it worse. Your world got smaller, your routines got tighter, and somewhere along the way, walking into a room full of strangers started feeling like a root canal.
The fears underneath are real. Fear of rejection. Fear of looking like you’re “trying too hard.” Fear of being seen starting over or not having it figured out.
If that sounds like you, nothing has gone wrong. That’s just being human.
But here’s what I know after 15+ years in corporate America and hundreds of coaching conversations: the antidote to anxiety is taking action. You don’t have to become some networking superhero. You don’t have to become an extrovert. You just need small, consistent reps. One conversation. One coffee. One “yes” to an invite you’d normally skip.
That’s how momentum builds. And momentum is everything.
Have More Collisions
You don’t need a perfect plan. You need more collisions.
Leave the house. Leave the comfort of the office. Have the coffee. Say yes to the dinner. Publish your point of view. Send a thoughtful email to someone who doesn’t know you yet. Shoot your shot.
A simple challenge: For the next seven days, reach out to one person a day. No overthinking it. Just start moving. Notice what shifts in your confidence, your energy, and the opportunities that start showing up.
Most of the people I work with aren’t failing. They’re doing well. But they feel stuck, or unsure what’s next, or like something is missing. It’s usually not a motivation problem. It’s a clarity and momentum problem.
As a life and career coach based in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, I help mid-career professionals and young adults figure out what actually fits, and then build a path forward that doesn’t require blowing up their life.
Ready to Transform Your Life? Start With a Free Consultation
The most successful people don't wait for perfect conditions—they take action when they recognize an opportunity. If you've read this far, you're already considering whether coaching might be the catalyst you need to reach your next level of success and fulfillment.
Take the first step today by scheduling a free 60-minute consultation call with coach Jeff.
This is a no obligation call to see if coaching is right for you! Your future self will thank you for taking this crucial step today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does a career coach actually help with?
A career coach helps you get clear on what direction actually fits you, then builds a plan to move toward it.
Most of my clients aren’t lacking motivation. They’re successful on paper but feel stuck, burned out, or unsure what’s next.
As a career coach in Phoenix and Scottsdale, I help you:
Clarify your direction
Identify realistic career paths
Build a strategy to make a change without blowing up your life
Take action through networking, positioning, and execution
This is clarity plus momentum, not just conversation.
2. How is this different from just applying to jobs online?
Applying online is one of the least effective ways to land a job.
Most opportunities come from conversations, relationships, and being in the right rooms, not job boards.
If you’re only applying online, you’re missing a huge part of how hiring actually works.
We focus on:
Strategic outreach
Real conversations with people in your target field
Positioning so opportunities come to you
That’s where real career movement happens.
3. Who is career coaching for?
I typically work with:
Mid-career professionals
You’re doing well on paper, but something feels off. You’re stuck, burned out, or questioning your path.
Young adults (18–25)
They lack direction, confidence, or momentum and need structure and guidance.
Professionals in transition
You’re considering a pivot, promotion, or major change and want to do it right.
If you feel stuck or unclear, this is for you.
4. How do I know if I need a new job or a career coach?
If it were just about getting a new job, you probably would have already done it.
Most people don’t have a job problem. They have a clarity problem.
If you’re:
Second-guessing your direction
Unsure what you actually want
Afraid of making the wrong move
Stuck despite trying
Coaching helps you solve the real issue, not just swap jobs.
5. What results can I expect from career coaching?
You won’t just be thinking about change. This isn’t therapy where we talk in circles for months without much movement. You’ll already be in motion.
Clients typically walk away with:
A clear direction
A strategic plan
Stronger resume and LinkedIn
Real conversations happening
Confidence and momentum
Many land new roles or make pivots. But the biggest shift is they stop feeling stuck.
6. What does career coaching cost?
Coaching is an investment in your future, not just your next job.
I offer structured programs based on your goals:
Career Pivot Accelerator (mid-career)
Career Launch Program (young adults)
Most clients work together for 3–6 months, with programs typically ranging from $3,500 to $5,000.
If you’re serious about making a change, we can figure out the right path together.
7. What makes you different from other career coaches?
I’m not coming from theory. I’m coming from real-world experience.
I’ve made over 1,000 hiring decisions and helped scale high-growth companies.
I also work with a small number of clients, which means:
More attention
More personalized strategy
More real support between sessions
This isn’t high-volume coaching. It’s hands-on, outcome-driven work.
I’m Jeff Rothenberg, a personal growth and career coach helping people turn uncertainty into confidence and clarity. Whether you’re rebuilding after change, exploring your next career move, or simply ready to grow, I’ll help you create momentum that lasts.
