Good Luck

Good Luck is a whimsical fable that teaches a valuable lesson: good luck doesn’t just come your way—it’s up to you to create the conditions to bring yourself good luck. Written by Alex Rovira and Fernando Trias de Bes—two leading marketing consultants—this simple tale is universally applicable and uniquely inspirational. Good Luck tells the touching story of two old men, Max and Jim, who meet by chance in Central Park fifty years after they last saw each other as children. Max achieved great success in life; Jim sadly did not. The secret to Max’s success lies in a story his grandfather told him long ago. This story within a story has a tone reminiscent of the classic The Alchemist and shows how to seize opportunity and achieve success in life. In a surprise ending, Good Luck comes full circle, offering the reader inspiration, instruction, and an engaging tale.

Part One The Encounter 1

Part Two The Legend of the Magic Clover 19

Part Three Finding Good Luck Again 117

Part Four Some People Who Agree with Us 125

Part Five Decalogue, Moral of the Story, and New Origins of Good Luck 131

Acknowledgments 139

The Authors 143

“...close to notching up worldwide sales of one million in countries as varied as Germany, Indonesia and North Korea…” (The Guardian, 26th September 2004) Alex Rovira heads the qualitative division of marketing consulting firm Salvetti & Llombart. He is coauthor (with Bernard Dubois) of the Spanish version of Understanding the Consumer.

Fernando Trías de Bes cofounded and directs Salvetti & Llombart. He is coauthor (with Philip Kotler) of Lateral Marketing.
They are professors at ESADE, one of Spain’s most respected business schools, and have worked with many top organizations, including Bayer, Chrysler, Credit-Suisse, Dannon, Frito-Lay, Hewlett-Packard, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Nestlé, Oxfam, Paramount, Pepsi, Sony, and Universal.

Good Luck is a whimsical fable that teaches a valuable lesson: good luck doesn’t just come your way–it’s up to you to create the conditions to bring yourself good luck. Written by Alex Rovira and Fernando Trías de Bes–two leading marketing consul-tants–this simple tale is universally applicable and uniquely inspirational. Good Luck tells the touching story of two old men, Max and Jim, who meet by chance in Central Park fifty years after they last saw each other as children. Max achieved great success in life; Jim sadly did not. The secret to Max’s success lies in a story his grandfather told him long ago. This story within a story has a tone reminiscent of the classic The Alchemist and shows how to seize opportunity and achieve success in life. In a surprise ending, Good Luck comes full circle, offering the reader inspiration, instruction, and an engaging tale.

Alex Rovira and Fernando Trías de Bes created this inspirational book after studying the key factors that bring good luck to prosperous people. Their research explores the "luck" of extraordinary people and reveals the key factors shared by successful yet diverse people such as Madame Curie, Alexander Graham Bell, Bill Gates, and Tiger Woods. Rather than an exhaustive study of individuals and the traits that make them successful, Rovira and Trías de Bes have created an entertaining parable that reveals the ten rules of good luck.

The International Best-Seller That Has Swept the World–A Simple Yet Powerful Tale About How to Seize Opportunity and Achieve Success in One’s Life and Work

"Heartwarming! It will be a classic. I think it will fascinate both adults and children, much like The Little Prince."
–Philip Kotler, author, Marketing Management

"You won’t have much good luck if you do the wrong thing. This book makes that all-important thing eminently clear."
–Jack Trout, management guru, and coauthor, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

"This book is telling and revealing. It clearly shows why some and not all have success in life. Good luck is the secret."
–Marco Jesi, president, Pepsico Europe

The International Best-Seller That Has Swept Europe--A Simple Yet Powerful Tale About How to Seize Opportunity and Achieve Success in One's Life and Work

“Heartwarming! It will be a classic. I think it will fascinate both adults and children, much like The Little Prince.”
--Philip Kotler, author, Marketing Management

You won't have much good luck if you do the wrong thing. This book make that all-important thing eminently clear"
--Jack Trout, management guru and coauthor, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

“This book is telling and revealing. It clearly shows why some and not all have success in life. Good luck is the secret.”
--Marco Jesi, president, Pepsico Europe