5 reasons why people miss big opportunities
Life is a series of opportunities, big and small, obvious and hidden. Some are financial. Some are relational and some are career related. The problem is, most of us miss those opportunities that could change the history of our lives and those around us.
We missed an opportunity to accomplish something significant in our lives because we didn’t grab the opportunities that came along the way.
I would like to share with you some of the things that have caused people to miss life-changing opportunities.
1.Blind brains
Opportunities come in various forms; some come disguised as challenges, some as failures, some as a passing moment, some as friendship, some as rejection, and others come as obvious.
It takes more than a casual look, a mindset, and mental effort to realize most of the opportunities that come to us in life.
You and I need to train our eyes to capture and process the most details of things from different angles and process them in an unusual way.
Someone said, they eye looks but the brain sees.
It is wise to live with an open mind, not a judgmental mind or a mind that makes quick conclusions.
Always believe there’s more than what you see. There’s a better way than the way it’s done. Train your mind to think differently, even in small things.
Feed your brain with information that enhances its functions, things that help it process things, analyze things, and solve issues creatively, even simple daily routines.
Listen, big things come from small opportunities.
Teach your brain to see, to learn, to create, and to reason.
2.Lack of preparation
lack favor's the prepared
Most people have a dream career or a vision. Some even have plans, but few take time to prepare for the opportunity that will come.
One of the biggest areas of preparation is learning about what you want to do.
People forget that the best way to discover opportunities is through learning.
The best way to attract opportunities is through learning.
Take time to learn about what you want to do, about that specific industry, and about those who have been successful in that industry.
Learn essential skills that are necessary in that industry, be informed, and network.
But why do so many people avoid learning?
Learning is not popular. It has never made anybody famous or rich. It only makes sense when what is learned is applied. Some things are costly to learn, some are hard, and some take a long time to learn.
Generally, learning is a painful process that everyone seeks to avoid when necessary; nevertheless, it’s the only way to be a master at anything you dream of doing.
Seeking shortcuts makes you a master of nothing but shortcuts.
True masters are forged through learning and challenges.
3.Lack of patience
“There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you, and there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish
Patience is vital in whatever industry you work in. Some big opportunities sometimes come after you have proven your work ethic, skills, expertise, character, and commitment.
You can’t microwave opportunity. People need time to get to know you and trust you before they can give you an opportunity or connect you to one.
Give people time to prove that you are trustworthy, that you are skilled and responsible.
Patience also helps you to grow and gain more experience, which adds depth to your skills and wisdom. It also grows your network and widens your perspective.
4.Lack of emotional intelligence
Remember, opportunities are sometimes hidden in people.
You need to learn how to live and work with other people. People have different personalities, and that could be your downfall or a springboard that will launch you to bigger things.
Some of the hardest people could be the only ones you need to land that big opportunity you are waiting for, but it’s hidden behind the character or the bad personality of the person you mistreat or ignore.
People, it doesn’t matter who they are, carry so many opportunities. It’s how you treat them that will unlock opportunities behind them.
Some people are not even better than you. Some are poorer than you. Some are not as educated as you or as talented as you. But they know something, they know somebody, and they know you.
If I had time, I would tell you a story of how one young man lost his restaurant business in 2020, when it was at its peak, just because he and the people working for him lacked courtesy toward a man who was a toilet cleaner in the building where the business was.
It was a strategic area.
He tried to search for another building in that area, but he never found one.
They didn’t know that this man was related to the owner of the building.
I repeat, opportunities are with people. Learn how to live with people. You could be missing the biggest opportunities of your life because of how you treat people.
5. Obsession with perfection
Perfect opportunities do not exist, only potential opportunities.
Opportunities are not finished or processed products; it is processing them through grabbing them that produces the final perfect product.
Processed opportunity reveals the hidden treasure.
Success, like success, is the result of a processed opportunity.
Do not miss an opportunity because it looks like the glass is empty. By the way, every big opportunity comes with a big, glaring risk.
Whatever that comes that does not require your effort to process it into something meaningful or money-making, whatever that does not involve risk, it is not an opportunity. You’re just eating the bread crumbs that fall from the tables of those who gorge themselves on the true bounties of the opportunity cake.
It is natural for all of us to overestimate the dangers of any opportunity, but you should always remember that you are risking even more if you do not risk and seize the opportunity. All those behind you will suffer because you failed to take advantage of the opportunity you had.
Remember, perfect opportunities with no risk only exist in your head, not in the real world or in life.
Conclusion
It is never too late. You can prepare yourself for the next opportunity that will come your way.
You can also train your eye to see, hidden opportunities. The bottom line is this all opportunity are not the same, but you will never run out of them.
But the success is not on how many you have but how many to grab.
