“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them”, said Orison Swett Marden, an American writer of books of self-improvement who lived in the late nineteenth century.
From then until now nothing changed, at least respect human concerns. Often we wait until we’re ready, we dare not to take the first step until we are 100% sure. However, the truth is that we will never be ready because there are dozens of details that could get out of hand.
We will never be 100% ready to face an exam. Still, we can study more, review the lessons and do deepen readings. Likewise, we will never 100% prepared to face an ambitious project, but we could ask for professional opinions, apply for a course and evaluate the market carefully. At the same time, we can’t be 100% sure that a relationship will work, all we can do is try and give the best of us.
The truth is we will never be prepared enough to jump on the bandwagon of opportunity, but if we do not try it will pass over. Then, sooner or later we’ll regret the many doubts we had and not having dared.
The important thing is to take the first step
Andre Gile said: “A man cannot discover new oceans if he dares not to lose the sight of the shore”. In fact, many people spend their entire lives on the dock looking out at sea, never daring to take on and pursue their dream. As a result, they die a little every day.
No doubt, taking that first step requires courage. But it’s only up to us. The idea that there is a “right time” is often just a lie we tell ourselves to avoid recognize that we are afraid to fail or scared to leave the comfort zone, because we don’t know what we will find.
On the other hand, we don’t seize the opportunity simply because we feel overwhelmed. The prospect of the road ahead discourages or frightens us. Therefore it is very important to just take the first step. Once you’ve started, you’ve dared to leave your comfort zone, albeit only a few centimeters, you’ll notice that everything is much easier.
Not being prepared is actually something positive
We have the feeling that not being prepared is a negative thing. Those doubts, uncertainty and fear, mingle creating a feeling that we want to get rid of because makes us feel uneasy. However, the truth is that not being prepared can have a positive side. In fact, these feelings compel us to be alert, allowing us to glimpse the dangers that lie ahead and change course if necessary. On the contrary, when we feel confident and secure we tend to let our guard down and do not see the danger.
Not being prepared is not necessarily a bad thing, it depends on the meaning you give it and how you deal with those feelings. Anxiety, for example, generates a constant state of excitement that is difficult to handle, but also sharpens the senses and prepares us for action. You can decide if you’ll leave these feelings overcome you or if, on the contrary, you’ll take advantage of them.
The state of mind that will help you seize opportunities
Often, we are so absorbed in our problems we don’t even realize that opportunities are passing by our side. It is as if we were at the train station, engaged talking on the phone while the trains run by on the platform.
Obviously, it doesn’t mean we have to catch any train, but the train going in the right direction, the direction we want to go and we want to give our life. So if you really want to seize opportunities, even the smallest, you need to know where you want to go, you have to determine your course.
Determine what you want to do with your life, where you want to go. And then stay tuned, open yourself to the world. Chances come. Then you just have to take profit of them.
