Creating Your Own Opportunities for Success
We all have dreams, the plans for the life we always wanted but haven’t quite attained. Maybe you dream about having a different job or making more money. Maybe you want to become a famous actor and imagine being a star. Seeing other people achieve their dreams fills you with questions. Why did it work for them? What’s the difference between us?
One key factor is opportunities for success. A lot of people think these just appear—that offers are going to fall into your lap. That’s just not reality, though. Sometimes opportunities are handed to us but most of the time, we need to create space for our dreams to come true.
When I was starting out, I dreamed of being featured on Entrepreneur on Fire. John Lee Dumas has a huge following and getting that kind of exposure was critically important. And one day, I heard from him. I was a guest on his podcast and that has opened numerous doors for me.
How did I get this chance? What made the opportunity into reality for me?
I started out as another satisfied customer. I bought The Freedom Journal as a tool to help me meet my goal of booking 10 speaking engagements in 100 days. With the help of this handy book, I crushed my goal in just 50. It was so helpful to me, I joined Dumas’s Facebook group dedicated to the success of the journal.
After awhile, I saw that Dumas was looking for testimonials about the success of his product. I took a shot and posted a one minute video. He liked it so much he featured me on his podcast. Things only grew from there. Other people heard me on the show and found inspiration in my message. Another motivational speaker reached out to me on LinkedIn and we were able to connect in person. We made an excellent professional connection and now he’s going to be an influencer in my upcoming productivity guide.
How can you recognize an opportunity and create your own pathways to success?
First, you have to be aware. Chances are you’ve accidentally passed up an opportunity in the last week because you weren’t expecting it. Connections often pop up where you least expect them. I didn’t get to be on Dumas’ podcast by accident. I followed his professional presence and took the opportunity to connect when it came up. Without that, things wouldn’t have fallen into place.
Another important factor is making sure you add value when you engage with others. This doesn’t mean only looking at your own accomplishments. Take the spotlight off of yourself and look at the people around you. What would be beneficial to them? How can you help them meet a need or achieve one of their goals? Opportunities to help others often turn into opportunities to improve yourself.
If opportunities just fell out of the sky, we would all be a lot closer to achieving our dreams. It doesn’t happen by magic. Success comes at the intersection of preparation and opportunity. Keeping yourself aware of chances to meet your goals will help you ensure future success. It’s up to you to create the opportunities you need to be successful.
