Fact: Good things tend to happen to Girl Scouts. They’ve been invited to camp out at the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama and the President. They’re constantly being written up in local papers.  They’ve explored space on historic NASA missions, and lead some of our country’s major companies.

Some people might say these girls and women have been lucky, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. It isn’t a four-leaf clover or a wink from a leprechaun that opens doors and creates opportunities for Girl Scouts—it’s hard work, determination, and a passion for improving the world that does the trick. That’s right, Girl Scouts make their own luck, and so can you by following these tips!

1. Take action
Dreams rarely come true without a whole lot of doing on your part! If there’s someone who’s achieved the things you hope to one day have happen in your life, find out what she did to get there and then make a plan for yourself based on the path she followed.

2. Be collaborative,  not competitive
A lot of people think you have to be tough or even ruthless to get to the top or make big things happen in the world, but that’s simply not true! In fact, it’s a lot easier to make your dreams come true when you have a team of people who want to help and support you. When you lend a hand or cheer someone else along in their projects, they’re far more likely to do the same for you. Added bonus? When you finally do finish your amazing service project, land that dream job, or even get elected to government office, you’ll have so many wonderful friends to celebrate with.

3. Do something scary
It’s no coincidence that some of the things that can help you achieve your dreams— like introducing yourself to powerful people, trying a challenging new activity, or speaking in front of large groups of people—might make you nervous. There’s risk involved with each of them, of course, but when you take a step back and think of the wonderful things that these actions might lead to, they almost always far outweigh any negatives that might happen along the way.