Life’s Not Fair and That’s Okay

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” — Elbert Hubbard

Embracing Life’s Unfairness

Throughout my 40 years on this planet, I’ve heard the phrase “Life isn’t fair” more times than I can count — and truthfully, half of those times it came from my own mouth.

It’s so easy to fall into the habit of blaming “life” without taking time to evaluate our own role in our circumstances — and what we can do to change them.

Yes, some things truly are out of our control. But what’s always within our control is how we respond.

Even the luckiest people face hardship, loss, or failure. What sets them apart isn’t luck — it’s mindset. They’ve done the self-development work to stay steady when life throws challenges their way.

Redefining “Luck”

Some people will have easier lives than others — that’s simply statistical reality. But accepting that “Life isn’t fair and that’s okay” gives us freedom.

“Lucky” people aren’t magically protected by fate — they’ve created conditions for their luck to flourish.

According to Merriam-Webster, luck is “a force that brings good fortune or adversity.” Once you understand that your choices, reactions, and persistence can shape those forces, you realize that you have more power than you think.

Creating Your Own Luck

The moment you accept that life is not fair, you gain control. You stop waiting for good fortune and start creating it.

When you realize you can adjust, evaluate, and pivot, you begin to craft your own success story — one decision at a time.

The A-E-P Framework: Adjust, Evaluate, Pivot

Step One: Acceptance

This is the hardest part. It’s easier to believe that life simply dealt you bad cards — that someone else’s success came from luck.

But here’s the truth: You can always reshuffle the deck.
You can’t control where you start, but you can control where you end up.

Accept that life may not hand you opportunities — but you can build them. Once you let go of the illusion of fairness, you gain the power to act.

Step Two: Adjust

Once you accept that life isn’t fair, stop what you’re doing and adjust.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

If you’re stuck in the same patterns — the same thoughts, habits, or environments — no luck can save you. Change your approach, shift your mindset, and surround yourself with people who lift you higher.

Step Three: Evaluate

Now that you’re committed to change, evaluate.

Ask yourself:

• What’s working and what isn’t?

• What do I really want from my career, relationships, or health?

• What needs to change right now?

Create a clear plan, but keep it flexible — because life will always test your resolve.

Your only constant should be your commitment to growth.

Step Four: Pivot

Here’s where everything changes.

When something doesn’t work — pivot.
When plans fail — pivot.
When life throws you off track — pivot.

You are the writer, director, and producer of your own life.
If you don’t like the script, change it. If the scene doesn’t fit, rewrite it.

Pivoting is your power move — it’s how you reinvent yourself and turn setbacks into success stories.

Closing Thoughts

Take complete control of your story.
When necessary, Adjust. Evaluate. Pivot.

Life isn’t fair — and that’s okay.
What matters is how you respond, how you adapt, and how you rise.

You have the ability to write, direct, and produce a life filled with meaning, happiness, and fulfillment — one resilient pivot at a time.