everything you can in a given situation, or are you hiding and hoping for the best? You need to do the footwork if you want to reap the benefits.
Leave the rest. There are aspects of life that are completely out of your control. Leave them alone. You are powerless over them. You can leave them to your god, to the universe, to chance, whatever works for you. Just let them be. Conserve your efforts for things you can change.
Your assignment today is to use this roadmap the next time you hit a roadblock. Take stock of your situation by examining each of these four principles.
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Joe was a lucky guy. It seemed like opportunity followed him everywhere. His projects at work always came out on top, he was in great shape, he had tons of connections, and he smiled all the time. It was nauseating! Some people just have all the luck.
In truth, Joe’s circumstances had very little to do with luck. He created opportunities rather than waiting for them to show up. Joe looked at everything he experienced as a way to grow and improve and learn something new. He observed others, and he tried new things. Soon, he saw opportunity budding all around him.
Joe had a friend who went to the gym regularly during lunch, so he decided to give it a try. He found the midday exercise to be exhilarating. It gave him a jolt of energy for the rest of the day and cleared his mind of the issues he had faced that morning. As a result of trying something new, Joe found a way to increase his concentration at work and also get in shape. He observed a colleague, tried something that person found to be helpful, and created an opportunity to get in shape and become more productive at work.
Joe didn’t wait for his doctor to tell him it was time to get rid of a few pounds. He didn’t wait for his friend to invite him to the gym. He noticed what was going on around him, and he created his own opportunity.
Your assignment today is to write down three ways in which you can create opportunity in your life. You have one week to follow through and make at least one of those opportunities a reality.
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You have very few second chances in this life. Are you willing pass by a good opportunity? The flowers of chance are opening all around you. Do you see them?
Pick those lovely flowers of opportunity while they are blooming, because you may never get another chance. Gather precious moments with your children. Take a walk under the stars tonight, because they are too stunning to ignore. Give a project at work everything you’ve got, because you may not have a chance to go back and fix it later. Play in the snow, because it’s in your front yard right now. Listen to the music of the waves when you sit on the beach, because you may never hear such a beautiful melody again. Stand up and volunteer for that committee that is a little outside of your comfort zone, because now may be your only opportunity to do it.
Experience as much as you can in this wonderful world, because your stay here is finite and often far too short. You don’t know if you will get a second chance, so snatch up opportunities when you see them.
Grab on to life with both hands. Experience it. Don’t just go through the motions; don’t just get by. Be an active participant. You will find success in your experience. Your assignment today is to actively participate in your day as if it was your last day on earth. Make the most of everything you do. Enjoy every little moment.
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We’ve been talking for the last several days about opportunity, and the one thing that keeps popping to the surface is living in the here and now and taking advantage of what is before you. Opportunity is strongly linked to living in the present rather than regretting the past or worrying about the future. You must act when opportunity shows up, and you can’t take action if you are not paying attention.
