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Al Duncan PictureSeize the Opportunity
by: Al "The Inspiration" Duncan

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized” -Sun Tzu

One of the biggest mistakes people make is spending too much time looking for the big opportunity or the perfect timing to do something. The over-used axiom “Patience is a virtue” is irrefutable. But it is equally true that “he who hesitates is lost”. Seize the opportunity. 

There is a thin line between patience and procrastination. Unfortunately way too many people spend far too much time on the procrastination side of things.

Patience is taking a well-calculated risk. Procrastination is avoiding risk.

Patience is taking the time to learn what to do. Procrastination is knowing what to do and not doing it.

Patience is saying, “I’ll finish this by_____.”  Procrastination is saying, “I’ll get to it sooner or later.”

There are dozens of tips and techniques for overcoming procrastination and seizing opportunities. Here are three:

1. Start cooking while the pot is hot.

The best time to build momentum is when you first think of an idea or start on a task. This is the time to create some small steps that you can take right away and use to measure your progress.

2. Have a sense of last minute urgency all the time.

Have you ever noticed that normally people finish a task just in the nick of time? This is because a task will expand to the allotted time. Think about that.

A person can have two months to do something and finish it in two days. Of course it’s the last two days before it’s due! Last minute urgency creates an incredible amount of energy and drive.

3. Weed out worry.

Earl Nightingale wrote about what he called the “Fog of Worry” and provided an authoritative estimate of what most people worry about.

  • 40% of the things you worry about will never happen.
  • 30% of the things you worry about couldn’t be changed by all the worrying in the world.
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  • 12% of your worries are needless worries about your health.
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  • 10% of your worries are about petty, miscellaneous things.
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  • 8% of your worries are about real and legitimate concerns. In other words, 92% of your worrying is a complete waste of time.

Here’s one last thing in closing.

Keep in mind that opportunities don’t disappear they simply move on to next recipient. An opportunity that comes your way is probably an opportunity that someone else procrastinated or passed on. If you pass up on a good opportunity someone else will capitalize on it.

Remember…

Every time you seize the opportunity, the gate to infinite possibilities swings wide open in front of you.