Dont Wait; Create You Own Opportunity

“Weak men wait for opportunities; Strong men Create them.”

Dead Wood Doesn’t Move

All of us seek a better job, a business or an opportunity to progress at some stage in our lives. But most of the time we just think about it, sit back and wait for it; wait for it to drop in our lap which rarely if ever happens. Seizing an opportunity is like catching a fish. You need to go to the right spot and drop your fishing rod in the water. Merely wishing to catch a fish won’t work. Similarly, just wishing for an opportunity won’t help. You need to strive for it. Majority of the people I have spoken with would have done nothing or negligible in this regard, yet they anticipate catching one big fish!

Don’t Wait; Create One

If an opportunity doesn’t come to you, don’t wait, create one for yourself. For instance, if desired job isn’t advertised, just approach the suitable employer and present yourself. The possibilities are endless; invention of internet has made it easier than you think. Every company has a website and every person has his credentials on Facebook, Linked-in or something similar. A simple Google search reveals it all. Similarly, 100s of business ideas are there on the internet.

Right Mood?

A phrase commonly heard is “I am not in the right mood now” or “I don’t feel like doing it now”. To be honest, this is just an excuse for something you just don’t want to do. Many important tasks keep pending for days as a result. You don’t accomplish anything if you wait for the right mood. Your mind must know that it has to get down to work. Issue here is not mood, rather an underlying reason prohibiting you. Either you are not convinced that this task is important or you hate doing it, scared of it or don’t feel capable of achieving it; this underlying reason needs addressing in order to fix the mood.

Trick & Treat

OK, I admit, there are certain tasks which I don’t fancy doing, but I had to complete them regardless. For instance, cleaning car is much less desirable than watching news on TV. “A man got to do what a man got to do”. So I don’t wait for the ‘right’ mood, I adjust my mood to the right thing. One trick I use is, I finish the tasks I don’t like first then do the ones I like; in a way rewarding myself for completing an undesirable task.

The Formula

There is only one way to success and that is “Hard Work & Dedication”. There are no short cuts; you have to work diligently on the following, in the same order:

Plan -> Prepare -> Perform -> Pray

Let me explain using the example of seeking a Job:

Plan for it

First thing first, decide what you want to do, be very clear about your goal. Could you start a journey without knowing your destination? This is where most people fail i.e. not being clear about what they want to achieve. You should be certain in which industry, which area and even which company you want to work in. Your goal must be clear. You must be able to state your objective in one single sentence, not in a paragraph. If you can, you are clear on what you want to achieve! This one-sentence test is true for any task you wish to perform, be it small or big.

Prepare for It

Prepare your CV accordingly. Research the organization. Refresh your knowledge of relevant skills & technology. If you are going for a business, make a business plan. Attempting a task without preparation is just like going to a battlefield without a weapon or attempting to catch a fish without bait on the fishing rod.

Perform It (Act upon the Plan)

It would be worse to prepare your CV and then not send it to employers. Or prepare a business plan and then not execute it. Many people plan and prepare but when it comes to taking the action they shy away. Reasons could be many; most common one being the fear, fear of failure or losing. Remember, if you take an initiative there could be two outcomes; either you fail or you succeed. But if you don’t take the initiative there is one & only outcome i.e. you fail, even before starting. By not taking the first step, you ensure your failure. Every journey starts with the first step. Abraham Lincoln was defeated in eight elections before winning the presidency of America.  If you want to succeed you have to take risk, take the first step.

Pray

In God we trust. Once you have done all you could do, leave it to God. Pray to God. God helps those who help themselves!

The End..