Author - Jez Shaw

We all get asked that question at some point. If you could be a superhero, what superpower would you want? Answers at the top of the list always seem to be the ability to fly, become invisible or have superhuman strength. That would be the ultimate dream, right? Sadly, unless Iron Man’s armor suit goes on the market anytime soon, ambitions of becoming the real world’s first Clark Kent, will remain a dream, only to be enjoyed through the pages of a comic or at the movie theatre. But what if there is a way that we can be our own superhero? A good example to use is the probability-defying Marvel superhero Longshot. Whilst not the most high-profile superhero in the Marvel Universe, since his first appearance in September 1985’s Longshot Vol 1, Longshot has sure made his way around the Marvel world. A member of the X-Men, Exiles and X-Factor teams, genetically engineered Longshot is best known for having extremely good luck, which is on his side when carrying out morally good deeds to save the world and freeing slaves from supervillain Mojo. Featured in various Marvel comic book series such as his own six-issue miniseries and the main Uncanny X-Men franchise, Longshot also proved to be the first major work of Marvel's Ann Nocenti and Art Adams. We'd say that is a pretty lucky superhero! Longshot #1 (June 4, 1985) Created by @annienocenti & #ArthurAdams Inkers #BrentAnderson & @WhilcePortacio #marvel #longshot #xmen pic.twitter.com/KrujIy4zSI — Eric Marc Petrillo (@eric_petrillo) June 4, 2017 Sure, a lot of the time, Longshot is consciously aware of the fact that he is using his luck to fight evil, but there are moments when he is unaware of his luck-bringing powers too. That’s where we mere mortals find our inner superhero. How many times in our lives does luck play a part? While luck might not come to us because we need it to save the universe, there is no denying that some things cannot be explained by anything other than by sheer chance. Let’s take a look at some of the surprising everyday instances where a little bit of luck could be your secret superpower and make you planet Earth's new Longshot. 3. Have the Superhero Mindset. While some of our luck in life may not be down to superhuman acrobatic skills, or being physically indestructible, it does not mean that developing the mindset of a superhero is something that cannot be achieved to improve our chances. Research into mental wellbeing suggests that it is possible to create more luck, not through superstitious rituals such as avoiding walking under a ladder, but by having a positive mindset, which includes determination, taking action and being generous. We're pretty sure that could also describe a superhero too?! There is no way any of the comic book heroes could have saved the world on multiple occasions if they spent their time lying on the couch watching Netflix. No, Longshot and his fellow heroes are not afraid to take action, and you should not be either. 2. Chance Gaming Wins. There's no doubt that if Longshot enjoyed playing games, with his luck, he'd win all of them. While we may not be able to win games because we have superpowers that defy probability, there are ways to improve our chances when taking part in certain games. Of course, it depends on what you are playing. Success in best superhero costume competitions, for example, it is down to your creativity. However, number games that rely on chance, such as bingo, do not rely solely on luck. While traditional paper bingo is fun because you can create your own superhero-themed version, luck is easier to get when playing bingo online. That's because a little research can get you a long way and help your "luck" - looking for sign-up offers and bonuses and being smart in taking advantage of the best opportunities means that, to an extent, you're making your luck. That's an approach that even science backs, as a plethora of research points to luck being less than absolutely random, as some of us tend to believe. 1. Find Feng Shui. First of all, a good place to start with this luck-increasing method is to answer the question of what Feng Shui is. Feng Shui is an ancient concept of Chinese philosophy in which your physical environment affects how you feel and your success in life. So, to increase your chances of having success and happiness in your life, and maybe the same luck as Longshot, then try to adopt the practices of Feng Shui. All you have to do is have a good clean of your home, do some rearranging of the furniture and include some traditional Feng Shui good luck symbols such as red lanterns and bamboo. Source: Pixabay So, to sum up, in an ideal world, having any superpower we want would be so awesome. Imagine having the super strength of The Hulk, but with the ability to shapeshift, so we would not have to be huge and green whenever we wanted to summon such power. In reality, it's not likely this is ever going to be possible, but we have more power than we think in our life, at least when it comes to power to improve our luck and alter our chances for the better. It looks like we have more in common with Longshot than we first thought!