There's a motto to life that many people do try to embrace... it's not fancy... and it's not overly complex --- "$hit or get off the pot."
This can be applied to all the things you need or desire in life. Do whatever you can to achieve these goals you set out for yourself, do things right the first time, and don't let opportunities pass you by if you can help it. If you adhere to this, then you'll find your luck will start to improve, your confidence will build, and life will generally get better.
"The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this truth that strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will, thus believing, at once begin to exert itself, and, adding effort to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength, will never cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong."
- James Allen