The 3 AM Question: Was It Just a Lucky Break?
The celebration has died down, the congratulatory Slack messages have slowed to a trickle, and you are left alone in the blue light of your laptop screen. You just hit the milestone you’ve been chasing for months—maybe years. But instead of the euphoria you expected, there is a cold, hollow knot in your stomach. You’re wondering if you can do it again, or if you just happened to be in the right place at the right time. This is the weight of expectation that players like Simon Adingra feel after a breakthrough performance; it is the specific anxiety of the high-achiever who fears they are an accidental hero.
When we struggle with the psychology of consistency, we tend to attribute our wins to external variables—the 'favorable wind' or a 'weak opponent'—while internalizing our failures as definitive proof of our inadequacy. This cognitive distortion is a thief. It robs you of the agency required for building self-efficacy and keeps you trapped in a cycle of performance anxiety. To move forward, we have to stop viewing success as a lightning strike and start seeing it as the result of a specific, albeit complex, internal weather system.
Success is a System, Not a Strike of Lightning
Let’s look at the underlying pattern here. You are likely telling yourself a narrative where your recent win was a statistical anomaly. But as we analyze the mechanics of Self-efficacy Theory, we see that success is rarely a solo traveler; it arrives because you built the road for it. Overcoming fluke syndrome requires a cold, clinical look at the 'Why' behind your achievement. You didn't just 'get lucky'; you applied a specific set of skills under pressure that met a specific opportunity.
This isn't random; it's a cycle of preparation meeting an opening. If we deconstruct your 'fluke,' we find hours of unglamorous labor, micro-decisions, and the grit to stay in the game when things were quiet. By acknowledging these causal links, we begin the process of building self-efficacy. You aren't a one-hit wonder; you are a practitioner who is still refining their craft. The breakthrough was simply the first time the world noticed the work you’ve been doing in the dark.
The Permission Slip: "You have permission to own your brilliance without apologizing for the fact that it took time to manifest. You are allowed to be good at what you do, even on the days you don't feel like a genius."Quieting the 'One-Hit Wonder' Fear
I can feel how heavy that 'What if?' feels right now. It’s like standing on a pedestal and waiting for someone to kick the legs out from under you. But I want you to take a deep breath and feel the ground beneath your feet. That win wasn't a mistake or a cosmic prank played by the universe. It was your brave desire to be loved and respected manifesting as excellence. When you worry about how to repeat success, you’re actually mourning the safety of being invisible.
It’s okay to be scared of the spotlight. The pressure to maintain consistency in performance can feel like a backpack full of stones. But remember: the same hands that built that success are still attached to your arms. You are resilient, you are capable, and most importantly, you are enough even if your next attempt isn't a masterpiece. Overcoming fluke syndrome isn't about being perfect every time; it’s about trusting that your 'average' is actually quite extraordinary to everyone else. You’ve got this, and I’m right here in the dugout with you.
The Consistency Audit: Turning Skill vs Luck into a Strategy
To move beyond feeling into understanding, we need to treat your performance like a high-stakes negotiation. We are moving from the 'vibe' of success to the 'data' of success. Proving yourself at work or in your field requires a tactical pivot. If you want to know how to repeat success, you must conduct a Consistency Audit. We are going to strip away the 'luck' narrative and replace it with a repeatable framework.
According to research on The Concept of Self-Efficacy, mastery is sustained through intentional feedback loops. Here is the move:
1. The Variable Analysis: Identify three things you did in the 48 hours leading up to your win (sleep, prep, mindset). These are your 'Controllables.'
2. The Skill Inventory: List the three hardest technical moves you made during the performance. Luck doesn't execute technical skill; only training does.
3. The High-EQ Script: When someone praises you, don't say 'I got lucky.' Instead, use this script: 'Thank you. I’ve been working hard on my [Specific Skill], and it’s rewarding to see it pay off in this project.'
By framing the outcome as a result of skill vs luck psychology, you reclaim the narrative. You aren't waiting for the stars to align; you are the one moving the stars.
FAQ
1. What is fluke syndrome?
Fluke syndrome is a specific form of impostor phenomenon where an individual attributes their successes to luck, timing, or external factors rather than their own competence and hard work.
2. How do I know if my success was actually a fluke?
If you had to apply specific skills, make decisions, or persist through challenges to achieve the result, it wasn't a fluke. Luck may provide the opportunity, but skill is required to capitalize on it.
3. Can overcoming fluke syndrome improve my performance?
Yes. By building self-efficacy and recognizing your own agency, you reduce performance anxiety, which allows for greater cognitive clarity and more consistent results over time.
References
en.wikipedia.org — Self-Efficacy Theory
apa.org — The Concept of Self-Efficacy