“When opportunity knocks, open the door.”
How many times has opportunity knocked on your door and you didn’t answer? Opportunities arise every day. We just need to be aware of them and make the decision to take them or live with the consequences of missing them.
We can all look back at points in our lives when we had opportunities to try something new, to have a unique experience, to learn or to grow. Whenever I miss an opportunity, I feel disappointed. I wonder how the opportunity, if taken, would have impacted my life or given a result I was seeking. I also ponder about opportunities I have taken, and I wonder how my life would have been impacted if I hadn’t seized those opportunities.
One of the first opportunities I had was choosing which scholarships to accept and which college to attend. I was offered a number of scholarships to various colleges and it came down to accepting a Regents Scholarship to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln or accepting a 4 year President’s Scholarship to Kearney State College. Both were excellent opportunities, but I couldn’t choose both. I took the opportunity that felt right to me and I have no regrets.
Another big opportunity came when I was offered my first job out of college. I had the opportunity to teach in California without ever having seen the school. I took the opportunity which led to much personal and professional growth. If I hadn’t taken the opportunity, I may have always wondered what would have happened if I had.
I am sure I have missed opportunities in my life, but I try to be aware of the ones that come my way that offer me personal or professional growth. I have a recent example of someone I know who missed a big opportunity to sell a commercial property in a small town. He had two interested buyers, but he didn’t act on the interest while it was hot and he missed the opportunity to sell it. It may be years before he has another opportunity.
Another example is all of the job opportunities available in Lincoln right now. I see “help wanted” signs posted in many stores and restaurants. I know of a number of people who talk about being interested in finding a job, but when it comes down to applying for these job openings, they have many excuses as to why they aren’t getting it done. Some complain that they haven’t had the time to apply, but they have the time to be on Facebook, play video games and hang out with friends. Some simply don’t want to do the work that is available saying things like “I don’t want to work in a restaurant.” It’s a shame they are missing out on excellent opportunities to be employed, earn money, reduce financial stress, have the opportunity for benefits, meet new people, learn new skills, etc. There is a formula to determine the missed financial opportunity: Take the hourly wage (W) and multiply by the number of hours (H) per day they could be working and multiply that number by every day (D) that passes that they are not working and that equals the dollar amount of that missed opportunity (MO). (W x H x D = $MO) For example, if they could be earning minimum wage this is how it might look: $9 per hour x 8 hours per day x 40 days without work = $2880 of missed opportunity.
What are the opportunities you have every day that are available to you in one of these areas: personal, financial, spiritual, professional, health or relationships? Are you taking or missing the opportunities that come knocking on your door? Are you missing out on financial opportunities because you aren’t willing to take a job that isn’t your dream job because you want to hold out for the one that pays more and seems more ideal? Have you considered the financial hit you are taking with each day that you don’t take the less than perfect job? What about earning money while you continue to search for the ideal job?
Are you missing out on an opportunity to create, grow or improve a relationship in your life? What about time for personal growth? Are you missing an opportunity to learn something new, try something you have never tried or do something creative? Is there an opportunity to improve your health that you haven’t taken? Every day is full of opportunities!! “When opportunity knocks, open the door!”