Productivity – Page 17 – Mark S. Brown

Are You Preparing for an Opportunity?

Last week I wrote about how we need to always be looking for opportunities. This week, I reflected on the second part of that process. We need to always be preparing for the opportunities that we want. This will increase our level of success in taking advantage of the opportunity.

If you are like me, this is very hard to do. I find working towards a goal when when the benefit is not clearly identified very difficult. There is so much resistance facing us every day.

Here are some things I consider for staying motivated and focused:

Know What You Want. I try to prepare for the future which I want to achieve. I stay motivated by continually renewing and reviewing my vision. Keeping the goal in sharp focus can help me stay on track.
Find Resources. Resources can come in the form of people, mentors, organizations, associations, classes, workshops, magazines, and books. I find staying motivated is easier if I don’t rely on just one type of resource.
Find a Way to Practice. I love to read. I learn so much from books. But if I don’t use new found knowledge, then over time it will fade. If I want to really learn something, I have to find a way to practice.
Expand Out of Your Comfort Zone. For me like most people, this is challenging. We like to do what we know. Unfortunately, most breakthroughs occur when you get out of those routines.
Do the Work. Following through requires a commitment of time, money, and effort. If I can find some time every day to work on preparation, it helps me build momentum over a long period of time. It creates a habit of growth.

I have learned that the more I prepare, the easier it becomes to see opportunities. It is almost like one creates the other. I hope you are finding time every day to prepare for your future.

What Opportunities Do You See?

Where do you find your opportunities? Some people see opportunity where others see closed doors. Some people search for and discover opportunity while others just wait for it to appear.

I have reflected on all the major turning points in my career. In each case, I saw and took an opportunity that others did not. In some cases, maybe several people saw the opportunity, but I was prepared to take action.

It is interesting that we can often be surprised by the unexpected opportunities we discover. If you examine your life, I am sure you will agree that things don’t turn out as planned. We must adjust continuously as we go.

Being prepared for opportunities, and seeking opportunities are keys to building success over a lifetime. Here are some questions that can help us explore this idea.

1. Are you waiting for someone to bring you an opportunity? Stop waiting. If we are waiting for the perfect opportunity, we will be waiting for a long time. Most of our opportunities come in a different form than we expect. Sometimes we have to take an opportunity that is available, and then it may lead to a bigger and better opportunity.

2. Are you actively seeking opportunity? If not, start looking. Opportunities appear every day. We may not see them if we are not looking. A year ago, I would never have predicted that I would be certified to provide temperament assessments, or that I would learn how to trade stock options. I saw opportunities, and I took them. Some of our opportunities will occur in areas in which we are not even aware.

3. How well do you know the opportunity you desire? Some opportunities appear as a next logical step. Some opportunities appear because you see the potential outcome. When you are aware of what you want to achieve, you will begin to see links between these opportunities. Some will reveal how, and some will reveal why.

4. Where do you seek for opportunity? My first thought was that you need to look where your interests lie, but the truth is you need to look everywhere. You have to decide if events in your life are coincidences or if they are relevant. Some people would say everything is relevant. If we treat it as such, then we will see more opportunities.

If you want opportunity, you have to participate. There are a lot of opportunities that I did not act upon. More than I can recall. These missed opportunities did not shape my life. The opportunities that I took are what changed my life. Overcoming the fear of an opportunity may be the most difficult step.

How Committed Are You to Improving Yourself?

How committed are you to making yourself better? How satisfied are you with your current level of performance, current skills, and results?

I usually find that people are either committed and working to improve their skills, or they are making no effort and are content with their current situation.

When I think about the people that consistently seek opportunities to grow and what makes them unique, I have found these four attributes.

Know their strengths and weaknesses. They typically know themselves. They have evaluated their skills. They focus on making their strengths even stronger.
Willing to invest in their growth. Those most committed to growth, invest their money in their growth. They believe in themselves.
Willing to step out of their comfort zone. Getting out of your normal routine, and exploring new options are a way of life for these people. They like to learn new things.
Willing to fail. Overcoming failure may be the most important trait for people that want to continue to get better. Failure stops many people from future success. But those that turn failure into learning, will try again. Great success does not come without failure.

Where are you when it comes to these attributes? If you are like me, your intent is always bigger than your actions. Just knowing these attributes changes nothing. It is the action that counts. I admit I struggle staying motivated to put all of these into action every day.

No matter how well you do on these attributes, there is always room for improvement.

Do You Have the Desire to Achieve Your Goals?

You don’t have to teach a child to walk. The desire to walk is what causes a child to learn to walk. If you truly desire to achieve your goals, you will find a way to achieve them.

The biggest obstacle for desire is fear. We fear failure. We fear making mistakes. We fear how others will view us. Fear separates us from our desire and from achieving our desired results.

Lack of clarity is the other obstacle that interferes with our desire. The more real the goal is in your mind, the easier it is to reach. If you drive across country without a GPS device or a map, you may reach your destination, but it probably will take longer and be much more difficult. But don’t confuse clarity of the goal with clarity of every segment along the way. You don’t have to know “how” you will get there, you just have to keep the destination clearly in mind.

If you are like me, you may find reflection and writing a journal could help. At the end of the day, I take a few minutes to concentrate on my goals. I write my thoughts on paper, and it provides clarity. It is a simple process, but requires dedication and commitment.

Often, I realize my actions have taken me away from my goal. When I refocus on the goal, I can adjust my plans for the next day or week. If I find myself just checking off action items, it is a reminder that action does not equal achievement.

Every day we must find a way to recharge our desire, because desire will lead to success. Do you have the desire you need to follow through on your goals?