When you play the lottery, do you get the feeling that you’re going to win?

Of course! Otherwise, why would you play?

Here’s the hard reality: The odds can range from 18 million to 1 to as much as 120 million to 1. Not very good.

But this is not really about the lottery. It’s about you. Would you rather take a chance on something with much better odds than the lottery? There is such a thing. And it’s called … you.

That’s right. You are a much more reliable bet than the lottery. And here’s why. The world is full of people who won’t take a chance on themselves. They won’t ask a special someone for a date, because they’re afraid to be turned down. They don’t call on big clients because they’re intimidated. They don’t play the game because they might not win. They always have an excuse not to try.

In this kind of world, there’s no reason for you not to try. If you’ve got your eyes on a certain prize, then go for it. At least half the people with their eyes on the same prize won’t even try. And that will increase your odds.

Even the lottery ads make the same point. They say, “You’ve got to be in it to win it.”

Forget about buying lottery tickets. If you want to win big, bet on yourself. You might hit the jackpot.

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Mike Tully speaks to sports, business and educational groups. He also works with coaches, athletes and teams to make their practice time more productive and efficient. He and Gary Pritchard are co-authors of “Ten Things Great Coaches Know.” To see Coach Tully and Coach Pritchard discuss “Seven Ways to Prepare for Adversity,” go here.