What is opportunity, luck or perfect timing? People speak of being at the right place at the right time. They say, “He was lucky!” What does this mean and how do you create luck?
It’s said that Marc Zuckerberg offered a room of students to get in on Facebook at the beginning and only two people took him up on it. They are now worth billions of dollars. Was the opportunity different for the others? Were the two that said “yes” just lucky?
You must be ready for the opportunity when it presents itself. There are opportunities all around us everyday. The people who become rich and successful are just problem solvers; they find ways to fix problems. It is the beauty of business. The bigger the problem the bigger the payout. The problem for you is you must be ready when the opportunity presents itself. They say it is not just the right place at the right time, it is the right PERSON, at the right place, at the right time.
I recently had an opportunity to invest in some stock that I believed was going to be a great buy. My training, knowledge, and ability to make the move were all in line. So far it has worked out well and I’m very excited about it. (I know this is vague, but there is no need to divulge too much detail.) The point is: I told a small handful of friends who also thought it was a good idea, but did not have the means to do what I did. It is just as hard to see a great opportunity and not be able to pounce.
I was taking some time to reflect on all the things I have learned over the years, and what was able to line up for that opportunity and many other opportunities. It is interesting when you reflect on your life, the good and bad, and what has happened to create that. It’s amazing when you realize that we are all affected by our decisions. We make good and bad decisions. We get to learn and grow. That is what life is all about. I have to remind myself of that, and I hope you do too. We are humans and this crazy world and life is a journey.
In the book The Outliers Malcolm Gladwell talks about Bill Gates and how it came to be he created the giant Microsoft. Gladwell talks about how Bill Gates had an amazing opportunity in his younger years with computers. One of the first computers was near his home and he was able to use it. He had practiced for 10,000 hours with computers, before coming up with the software idea. When the idea of his creation came around he was ready and seized the opportunity. He is now the richest man in the world. I am sure others could have seen that opportunity, but Bill Gates had the knowledge and understanding to create his huge empire.
So how can you be ready for an opportunity?
First, you have to work on seeing opportunities more often. Be more open minded, start to question things and how they work, and become a problem solver. Have you ever bought a new car and started to see them everywhere? Were there more cars out on the road or were you just more open to seeing them? Start to see the world and your surroundings you will be surprised about what you have missed.
Second, start reading personal development books. This is where successful people have put their ideas and philosophies together for you. Don’t you think it would be good to crawl into the mind of some of these people? They have done tremendous things and you can learn from them. I would attribute most of my success to feeding my mind these great ideas. They will prepare you for those new opportunities.
Third, become an expert in your field. Whatever your business, passion, or venture is become great at it. Work to become the most knowledgeable and best skilled. If you are confident in yourself, you can be ready for when the opportunity presents itself. Whether it is a new client, investment, or venture be ready for it.
Life is full of opportunities. I hope that you are ready and seize yours!
Chris Lengle Productions 