Feeling Lucky? The science behind lucky charms.

Get out your four-leaf clovers, it’s Saint Patrick’s Day. But is there a science behind that lucky charm? Or others, including pennies, horseshoes, and rabbit’s feet?

It’s true that having a good luck charm can help you achieve more success. Even science backs this up. In one study, students who believed they were using a lucky golf ball putted better than those who were told they were using a regular ball. Another study found that students who had their lucky charms with them performed better on memory tasks. But is it luck?

No. Not a chance.

It’s psychology.

Those with the ‘lucky’ golf ball believed it would help them be better putters. Yet, it was the same ball as others had. Students with a lucky charm did well on memory tasks because they believed they would do better with the charm in hand. These studies didn’t show luck. They revealed that having a positive attitude and believing that good things will happen can increase the likelihood of success.

And while charms may not be able to bring us luck, they can remind us of the power of optimism and the importance of believing in ourselves.