The best-known wisdom of Wayne Gretsky is probably the hockey player’s line about missing 100% of the shots you don’t take. Sure, sure. But let’s say we’re already off the bench, we’re flying around.

Then how do we change our odds?

Gretsky had this to say about his scoring records: “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it’s been.”

“Luck” might sound like a flimsy or woo-woo idea. But what Gretsky is getting at is opportunity, putting himself in position just in case things line up. He makes himself ready to be lucky.

Janice Kaplan writes about Gretsky and other famous examples in her book How Luck Happens. Consider Mother Teresa’s efforts as a fundraiser for her charities. It might surprise people to find out that Mother Teresa often flew first class, given her work among the poor.

But where would Mother Teresa be likely to find her biggest potential donors? The first class cabin on an international flight isn’t a bad place to start. By putting herself in a position where the right opportunities became more likely, she was ready to be lucky.

Have there been times in your life when it felt like you found yourself in just the right place at the right time? (Or, maybe, the wrong place at the wrong time?) There will always be some elements of chance or serendipity in life—and goodness knows none of us has a crystal ball.

Even still, we believe we can make it more likely for the best things to happen in life. We don’t have to be right every time. We just have to be ready.

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