Keeping Your Mind Open To Opportunities
People who miss opportunities usually fall into one of two camps.
“How much I missed, simply because I was afraid of missing it.” — Paulo Coelho
Opportunities come and go, often unnoticed. They abruptly open and close, and if you’re not paying attention, you can easily miss them. Many people become so fixated on a single path and fail to see what is in front of them.
When I graduated from college, I missed on major opportunities. I interviewed for a sales rep position at a billion dollar forklift company. The first interview went well, but I didn’t take the opportunity seriously. I thought the job was mine so I didn’t prepare for the second interview. My arrogance and lack of preparation led to a disastrous second interview, where the interviewer quickly realized I hadn’t done my homework. I was called out and sent home, tail between my legs.
I learned a valuable lesson about respecting opportunities. If I had taken that interview seriously, my career and life would have been different. While I’ve learned to never take an opportunity for granted, it was a harsh reminder of the importance of preparation and humility.
Opportunities don’t always come in the form of dream jobs or perfect scenarios. Sometimes, they appear as the best of…
