DR. WALLACE: What is good luck? I think I'm an average 16-year-old guy; I have a girlfriend and am doing well in school. I also have a good family and I'm healthy. But I want more, and I think the best way to do this is to put myself in as many potentially lucky situations as possible!

I want to do something that will make me really lucky, even something that will lead to my prosperity. Do you have any suggestions in this regard? — Looking To Become Lucky, via email

LOOKING TO BECOME LUCKY: I'd say you are already pretty fortunate and that you should start by recognizing how many positives already exist in your life.

You're healthy, have a girlfriend, are a good student and you are fortunate enough to live in the United States. There are millions of people around the world who wish they could live in this country.

Now as for your desire to acquire prosperous luck, I can advise you that many people, including me, feel that we often have the ability as individuals to create our own luck to some extent. Yes, at times random lucky breaks that can't be foreseen do arrive for a few people. But more often than not good luck is born out of hard work meeting an excellent new opportunity. So, if you wish to become lucky, plan to work hard, become proficient in a field that interests you and immerse yourself in opportunities in that field.

Then as you go along, network with as many individuals as you can so that you'll be able to have that "lucky" break arrive for you sooner rather than later. In the end, most luck rises to the surface for those that constantly strive to learn and make themselves better along the way.

TEENS: Recent surveys by financial companies have found that today's teenagers make it a priority to save money for college. In fact, for many it's their top savings goal.

The results of the survey showed that roughly two-thirds of teenagers aged 14 through 19 have saved some money for their future higher education needs. That's a much higher rate than the 40% of parents who indicated they saved for college back when they were teens.

The present economic climate has affected the way teens acquire money. Over half of today's teens build their savings money from part-time jobs as well as saving financial gifts they receive on birthdays or holidays from their parents and relatives. A large percentage also save the bulk of their high school graduation financial gifts as well.

The results of the survey were not surprising to me. Working with teens my entire life has taught me to never underestimate their drive, planning, intelligence and strong desire to succeed. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of new thinking around the world, and America's teens have used that tough time and environment to refocus their priorities. Now that the pandemic is for the most part behind us, today's teens are using their new skills to save for and craft their futures.

This is an encouraging development and I look forward to seeing what other excellent steps they will take next, since as a group, teenagers always seem to adapt and improve upon the path that generations before them once blazed.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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