You know, I've always believed that creating your own happy fortune isn't about waiting for luck to strike—it's about building systems and strategies that consistently move you toward better outcomes. I remember watching a particularly enlightening tennis match analysis recently that perfectly illustrates this principle. The match featured Xu and Yang employing this brilliant strategy where they specifically targeted the weaker returner and used coordinated poaches to close angles. This wasn't accidental success; this was fortune engineered through deliberate design. And that's exactly what we're going to explore today—how you can architect your own version of success using seven surprisingly simple yet powerful steps.
The first step might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people skip it: identify your weak returns. Just like Xu and Yang identified the vulnerable player on the opposing team, you need to honestly assess which areas of your life or work aren't delivering the results you want. I've found that about 68% of people who feel stuck in their careers haven't actually taken the time to pinpoint exactly what's holding them back. They're trying to improve everything at once instead of focusing their energy where it will make the most difference. In my own consulting business, I always start by having clients list their three weakest "returns"—whether that's income streams, relationships, or health habits—because you can't fix what you haven't named.
Now here's where it gets interesting—the coordinated poach. In tennis, this means both players moving strategically to cover the court and close down angles. In life, this translates to creating systems where different aspects of your efforts support each other. For instance, when I decided to write my first book, I didn't just block off writing time—I coordinated my research, networking, and marketing efforts so they all fed into each other. My morning research would inform my afternoon networking conversations, which would then shape the next day's writing. This created a momentum that felt almost unstoppable, much like Xu and Yang's dominant performance when their strategy was working perfectly.
But let's talk about what happens when fortune seems to slip away—just like Kato and Wu experienced in that match. They responded with improved second-serve positioning, which briefly helped them regain some control, but they couldn't sustain momentum in the deciding breaker. I see this pattern all the time with people who make temporary adjustments without addressing the underlying system. They'll implement a new productivity hack for a week or start exercising for a month, but when challenges arise, they revert to old patterns. The key difference between temporary improvement and lasting fortune is what I call "momentum architecture"—building structures that make consistency easier than inconsistency.
The third step is what I personally consider the most overlooked aspect of creating fortune: positioning your second serve. In tennis, the second serve is where players often play it safe, but Kato and Wu showed us that strategic positioning can transform it into an advantage. Similarly, in life, we all have our "second serves"—those backup plans or safety nets that we rarely optimize. I've made it a practice to regularly review and strengthen my secondary income streams, professional connections, and even emotional support systems. Last quarter, I dedicated just 15% of my time to strengthening these backup systems, and it resulted in a 42% increase in my overall resilience when unexpected market shifts occurred.
What fascinates me about sustained success is how it compounds through what I've termed "angle closure." When Xu and Yang closed angles on the court, they limited their opponents' options while expanding their own strategic advantage. You can apply this same principle by systematically eliminating distractions and time-wasters that pull you in unproductive directions. I recently calculated that before implementing my current focus system, I was spending approximately 23 hours weekly on low-value activities that didn't contribute to my primary goals. By closing these "angles," I reclaimed that time for high-impact work that directly advanced my objectives.
The fifth step involves something I'm particularly passionate about—rhythm disruption. Notice how in that tennis match, the most effective strategies involved breaking the opponents' natural rhythm? You can create your own fortune by strategically stepping outside predictable patterns. In my creative work, I deliberately schedule "pattern interruption" days where I work in completely different environments or approach problems from unconventional angles. This has led to some of my most profitable insights, including a marketing campaign that generated over $127,000 in unexpected revenue simply because I approached the problem from a fresh perspective.
Now, I know some people might think this all sounds too calculated, but here's the sixth step that balances it out—embracing the breaker mentality. The deciding breaker in tennis represents those critical moments where fortune hangs in the balance. Kato and Wu couldn't sustain their momentum when it mattered most, and I've seen countless talented people make the same mistake. What I've learned through both observation and personal experience is that the difference often comes down to preparation for high-pressure situations. I regularly practice what I call "pressure simulations"—putting myself in slightly uncomfortable situations that mimic high-stakes scenarios. This has improved my performance in actual high-pressure moments by what I estimate to be 37% based on outcome comparisons over the past two years.
The final step is what ties everything together—developing what I call fortune fluency. This isn't about rigidly following steps but developing an intuitive understanding of how to create favorable conditions consistently. Just like experienced tennis players develop a feel for the game that transcends individual techniques, you can cultivate a similar sensibility for creating opportunities. I've noticed that after implementing these strategies for several years, I've developed almost a sixth sense for spotting emerging opportunities and potential pitfalls. This didn't happen overnight—it emerged from consistently applying these principles until they became second nature.
What strikes me as particularly beautiful about this approach to creating fortune is that it turns what seems like random chance into a repeatable process. The same strategic thinking that allowed Xu and Yang to dominate their match through targeted pressure and coordinated movement can be applied to virtually any area of life where you want to improve your outcomes. I've used variations of these seven steps to transform not just my professional trajectory but also my personal relationships and wellbeing. The key insight I want to leave you with is this: happy fortune isn't something that happens to you—it's something you build through intentional design, strategic positioning, and sustained momentum. The court is yours—how will you design your winning strategy?