Luck follows action

In one of Clason's evening discussions, Arkad asks a group of Babylonians how a man can attract good luck. They begin with gambling and the races, and slowly realise that the gambling table is built to take their money. Then they turn to their own stories: a merchant who could have bought land cheaply but kept postponing until another man bought it, a herdsman who hesitated over a good bargain until it was gone. Each had an opportunity and let it pass, and each later described it as bad luck. The conclusion is that good luck is not a gift handed out at random to the idle; it tends to visit those who prepare, recognise an opportunity and accept it while it is open. Clason's warning is against procrastination rather than caution: the point is not to grab every offer, but to decide on the good ones instead of drifting until the decision is made for you.