The Mel Robbins Podcast

Podbit · The Mel Robbins Podcast

Create a Happier Version of Yourself: Redirect Your Energy for Positive Thinking

Explore episode Jul 2, 2026

Where this was said

The Science of Luck and Saying Yes to Everything

At 37:01 · chapter starts 36:00

Oakley's January reset was comprehensive: he rejoined the Frisbee team, went to every party, texted acquaintances he had previously been too proud to pursue, got lunch with strangers, and kept repeating the pattern even when early interactions were awkward. Mel connects this to Stanford professor Tina Seelig's research: lucky people are not just fortunate — they engineer their luck by intentionally placing themselves in situations where desired collisions can happen. The more people you say hello to, the more lunches you schedule, the more rooms you walk into with an open attitude, the greater your statistical chance of finding the people and opportunities you are looking for. Oakley's accumulation of small yeses — each individually awkward — eventually produced close friendships and a genuine love of college.

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