You may eventually get that opportunity that you have been craving for, but what happens when you are not prepared to take on the responsibility that comes with the opportunity. The only thing worse than missing an opportunity is not being prepared for an opportunity.
In my early years in the university, I had the opportunity to attend a seminar. While I do not remember the name of the speaker, nor the venue, and neither the title of the speech, a quote by the speaker struck a chord in me and has been playing in my head ever since. The quote says “When preparation meets with opportunity success is inevitable”.
So often I have heard people say “If only I can get this” “If only I can have that”. While it is good to dream and have something you are aspiring towards. The question is what are you doing to ensure that when you get that thing- Money, job, audition, contract . . . you will be able to make effective use of that opportunity to transform your life. That opportunity may be your only chance for a radical transformation. You lose it, you lose all.
As a Life Coach, I have had the opportunity to coach clients with lofty dreams that they want to achieve. I never tell them to shrink their dreams to a perceived reality. I am never for less, you know I am all about being MORE. All things are possible with the right belief system and the right steps of actions. However, what I often find perplexing is when clients with these dreams have absolutely no idea on what steps to take to achieve these dreams. My job as a coach then is to direct them to start thinking towards that direction. One of the questions I would ask is - What do you need to do to get from where you are now to where you want to be?
In my first year of graduate school, I knew my summer was going to be boring and eventless. I had spent the previous summer eating, sleeping and watching movies and ended up adding so much weight within three months. I was determined not to spend another summer wasting away, so I fervently started seeking for summer internships. I eventually never got any internship but then I heard of a 2 weeks entrepreneurship boot camp in a remote location. Since I was looking to go into entrepreneurship anyway, I applied and was accepted. After returning from the boot-camp, my Program director who was aware that I attended the boot-camp heard of an entrepreneurship facilitator position for a 2 weeks summer boot-camp for high school students. She nominated me and sent my name to the recruiting personnel and without any interview I was selected. The boot-camp I attended, prepared me for this opportunity which I never could have gotten if I was just sleeping and eating my summer away. Of course, I made some cool cash that summer!
The role of preparation can never be under or over estimated. What are you doing each day to prepare for your day of opportunity. Take a class, read a book, volunteer, mentor someone, learn new skills, make new friends, attend workshops and events, ......do anything as long as it is preparing you for the day your dream will get actualized. Wake up each day with the question: What can I do today to prepare me to become (state your dream, goal, vision or the opportunity you seek).
I know someone may be thinking but “I have been doing all these things but it seems the opportunity never comes”. Hang in there, opportunities come when we least expect, we don’t know when but it will surely come. Remember the story of the ten virgins in the Bible. The last thing you want to be is unprepared when that much anticipated opportunity comes.
SUCCESS is what happens when PREPARATION meets with OPPORTUNITY.
