Luck Isn’t Random—It’s Designed | Judd B. Kessler

The Art of Charm

http://www.TheArtOfCharm.com

Business, Health & Fitness, Education

4.7 • 11K Ratings

🗓️ 6 October 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Why do some people always seem “lucky” while others miss out? In this episode, AJ and Johnny sit down with Wharton economics professor Judd Kessler, author of Lucky by Design, to reveal the hidden rules that govern life’s most important markets—from dating to job hunting to Taylor Swift tickets. These “choose me” markets don’t run on money alone; they run on signals, timing, and strategy. You’ll learn why signaling interest often beats being perfect, how “settling for silver” can land you gold, and why gaming the system sometimes backfires. Judd breaks down strategies for college admissions, career opportunities, dating apps, and even Costco parking lots. Whether you’re chasing a dream job, trying to stand out in dating, or just fighting bots for concert tickets, this conversation shows you how to design your own luck. What to Listen For [00:01:04] What it means to be “lucky by design” and why hidden markets matter [00:02:11] Taylor Swift tickets, hot restaurants, and how hidden rules decide who wins [00:05:15] “Choose me” markets—jobs, schools, and dating—where the other side decides [00:07:29] The two signals that matter most: competence and real interest [00:10:22] Johnny’s story of breaking into bands through excitement and persistence [00:13:24] Why idiosyncratic (weird) signals often work better than safe ones [00:19:39] Costly signals—when to use them, and when they’re wasted [00:21:41] The strategy of “settling for silver” to actually win [00:27:05] When gaming the system works—and when it backfires [00:29:53] Designing your inbox and attention like a market [00:35:20] How a strong plan B lets you go for gold [00:37:38] Costco parking lots as the perfect example of hidden strategy [00:47:17] Hidden markets at home: sharing chores and mental load with equity [00:55:05] Why ticket resale markets frustrate Judd—and how he wants to fix them A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at ⁠⁠⁠unlockyourxfactor.com⁠⁠⁠ The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠artofcharm.com/intel ⁠⁠⁠for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/charm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Grow your way - with Headway! Get started at ⁠⁠⁠makeheadway.com/CHARM ⁠⁠⁠and use my code CHARM for 25% off. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/charm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Indeed.com/charm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mintmobile.com/charm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at ⁠⁠⁠SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM⁠⁠⁠ TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theartofcharm.com/influence⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Episode resources: Judd B. Kessler Lucky By Design Check in with AJ and Johnny! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AJ on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Johnny on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AJ on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Johnny on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Art of Charm on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Art of Charm on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Art of Charm on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You know, some people think OCD is just about keeping your house super clean.
0:03.6	That stereotype drives me crazy. Real OCD creates these unwanted intrusive thoughts about
0:09.6	stuff you actually care about, like your social life. Exactly. It makes you doubt whether
0:14.2	people actually like you or you're terrified. You accidentally offended someone. You spend
0:18.6	hours replaying conversations looking for proof you're not a
0:22.0	terrible person. And those thoughts get so overwhelming. You start doing all these behaviors to make
0:26.7	them stop, like mentally reviewing every interaction or trying to cancel negative thoughts with
0:31.4	positive ones before you see friends. But here's the thing. The doubts and fears just come back
0:36.7	even stronger. It isolates you from the
0:38.9	connections that make life worth living. That's where NOCD comes in. They're the world's leading
0:43.9	provider of OCD treatment and all of their therapists specialize in ERP therapy. That's exposure
0:49.7	and response prevention. Not regular talk therapy, which actually makes OCD worse. NOCD does live face-to-face
0:57.6	virtual sessions, where they teach you proven techniques to manage intrusive thoughts and reclaim your
1:02.8	confidence. It's 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans, and you get support
1:09.5	between sessions so you're not facing this alone.
1:12.8	If you think OCD might be holding you back, go to NOCD.com and book a free 15-minute call.
1:19.7	That's N-O-C-D.com.
1:22.2	The thing about a hidden market is that it's deciding how to allocate a scarce resource without relying on prices.
1:38.6	All right, let's kick off today's show. We're talking with Judd Kessler,
1:42.5	economics professor at Penn, an author of Lucky by Design,
1:46.1	the hidden economics you need to get more of what you want. We're exploring the hidden markets that
1:51.5	control your life, from dating to job hunting to Taylor Swift tickets, where money alone won't get
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from http://www.TheArtOfCharm.com, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of http://www.TheArtOfCharm.com and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.