I've spent years building skills through experience, research and instruction and attribute a lot of my success to my, be an information sponge, ethos.
All I do is apply some of those skills, and rather than leaving things to chance I plan and strategise to ensure the best chance of success. Winning these accounts isn't a one-appointment thing of course, however the initial meet and greet is critical to the next step, if it happens or not.
It goes well with your motto of not living by chance and planing your life.
I apply some strategy to life and freestyle also...the balance is nice.
Sure, it isn't like you can plan for everything in life. There's always something that goes south when you least expect it.