Personal Power: Preventing Missed Opportunities

The August Edition of the Fast Results E-Zine was about opportunities and the importance of not missing them. Let’s face it, missing an opportunity is one of the biggest mistakes we can make. Often, it’s taking advantage of opportunities that help us succeed. Missing an opportunity can do everything from frustrating us to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory: I only had a camera with me, if I only had something to write down that idea I had, if I had just asked her out before the other guy did, if I had just introduced myself to the prospective client before my competitor did, if I had just sent my resume out a day earlier….

The key to not missing opportunities is to follow the Boy Scout motto of being prepared. Here are some tips to help you minimize missed opportunities:

1. Carry something to take notes with on you at all times. This can be a pen and a small stack of sticky notes, a PDA or text enabled phone (just make sure you keep it charged) or a digital voice recorder.
2. Keep business cards with you at all times. Put some in your wallet, purse, car, laptop bag, gym bag, locker, or anywhere else that you can access to them when you need them.
3. Keep supplies handy. If you’re a photographer, that means a camera. If you’re a blogger, that means an internet enabled device. If you’re a business owner, that means samples, information, brochures, etc…. Think about your situation and what you need.
4. Keep your goals in the forefront of your mind. This includes personal and professional. This way when an opportunity arises, you can rise to the occasion and seize it.
5. Before you go anywhere, think about the people that you might come into contact with. Could you meet the love of your life at the gym? Could the person waiting with you at the bus stop offer you a job?
6. Be proactive. Don’t wait for the planets to be aligned to talk to someone or take an action. Take Nike’s advice and Just Do It.

Also keep in mind that the challenges we face are often opportunities in disguise. Excelling during a time a time of crises is the mark of a true leader.

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