by Leonard J. Roos
Bill Gates is quoted as saying "there
has never been a time like
the present, with so many
opportunities." Its almost like the
California gold rush, only its so much
bigger, because of the
global reach of the internet and other global technologies.
The possibilities are endless.
Everybody is "looking" for opportunities, but very few see it and
even fewer exploit it. There's the now famous story of the two
men who visited India together. Upon their arrival in India
one of the men was so struck and rather appalled by the abject
poverty of the masses. His companion however, saw something else.
He saw an opportunity, an opportunity to shoe millions of feet
and make himself a fortune in the process.
This man is said to have gone on and established a shoe company
which produced millions of shoes and made him a very wealthy man.
There are thousands of other similar stories, of people who
turned what seemed to be somebody's problem into a fortune,
including the story of South African born Hotel magnate Sol
Kerzner.
Kerzner turned an Island in the Bahamas which was considered only
good enough to be used as a rubbish dump, into what is today
known as the resort Island, Atlantis.
Opportunities come disguised in many forms and shapes. They may
come disguised as hard work, hardships, difficulties and
obstacles. When you see them as opportunities and take them, who
knows where you may end up?
Consider this: You may say I'm not going to knock on that door,
because I don't like knocking on doors. The person opening that
door may give you the big break you have been looking for, but
you may just have missed it forever. After all how could you
have guessed? That's right! You couldn't have.
Ever heard someone say, "It was a blessing in disguise?"
There are opportunities to make money, opportunities for
happiness but there are also opportunities for personal growth.
Opportunities to discover what you are capable of, to turn
weaknesses into strengths. Opportunities to help others and
help your self in the process. There are opportunities to bless
and be blessed in return.
Do you see all these opportunities? And if you do, do you take
them? Or are you like those people who are ONLY looking for that
one BIG opportunity that will turn you into an instant
millionaire.
Sun Tzu puts it so eloquently when he says, "opportunities
multiply as they are seized"
People who disregard all other opportunity, while waiting for
that one big opportunity don't know what they are missing. They
may in fact be missing the Big Opportunity itself, because you
never know where every opportunity may take you, if you embrace
it.
However there's one thing I know, won't get you anywhere. And
that is sitting in your comfort chair, trying to figure out
which is opportunity and which is not.
So, here is my advice, try everything and test everything. So
what, if you failed or if things didn't work out. You have would
have learned at least one thing. That particular venture isn't
worthwhile or the method doesn't work. Don't allow your own
cynicism or that of other people rob you of what may potentially
be your Biggest and Best Opportunity.
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