When you’re presented with a set of numbers or you have to choose one, are there certain numbers you avoid?
For me, I tend to do the opposite. I often lean toward the number that makes me feel a little uneasy — the one with some kind of negative association. If 13 is considered unlucky, I’ll pick 13. Not to be defiant or anything, but because I think those small, irrational biases can add up over time. When we repeatedly avoid things based on superstition — even harmless things like a number — we start to give that fear a little too much power.
Over time, these associations can shape our decisions in subtle ways. And if you keep reinforcing a negative feeling toward something that isn’t actually dangerous or harmful, it can become a kind of quiet weakness — a filter that limits your choices, your thinking, even your openness to new possibilities.
Different cultures have different ideas about which numbers are lucky or unlucky. In Western cultures, 13 is famously seen as bad luck — so much so that some buildings skip the 13th floor entirely. Meanwhile, in many East Asian cultures, the number 4 is avoided because it sounds similar to the word for “death” in Mandarin and Japanese. On the other hand, 8 is often seen as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in those same cultures.
It’s fascinating how much weight we can give to something as neutral and abstract as a number — and how that weight can vary so wildly depending on where you live or what stories you’ve heard.
But here’s something I try to remind myself: the world is full of opportunity, and when we let go of those small, inherited biases — like being wary of a certain number — the world opens up even more. When we stop filtering our choices through fear or superstition, we might just find better outcomes, more freedom, or at least a bit more peace of mind.
And it’s not just numbers. We carry all sorts of quiet superstitions — about colors, dates, names, places, even foods. Some are cultural, some personal. We avoid certain days to travel. We hesitate to say certain things out loud. We knock on wood. We believe a gut feeling might be a sign from the universe.
I’m not saying it’s all bad. There’s something kind of charming about superstition. It makes us human. But if you’re like me and you enjoy growing, evolving, and challenging yourself, then sometimes it’s worth pausing and asking: Why do I believe this? What if I did the opposite?
Sometimes choosing the “unlucky” number is just a small act of personal rebellion. Other times, it’s a reminder that the limits we accept are often the ones we unconsciously place on ourselves.
So next time you’re faced with a number you don’t like — or anything else that gives you that superstitious pause — consider going straight toward it. You might just take back a little power you didn’t realize you gave away.