Luck, Opportunity and Preparation

feeling luckyWe have heard the saying that luck is when opportunity meets preparation. The saying sounds so good we automatically shake our heads in agreement. Sure it sounds good, but what the hell does it mean.

Forget about the word luck since this is the sum of the two parts one being preparation and the other being opportunity. We’ll just take the word at face value for this exercise. What opportunity are we to expect to prepare for, this is the question that comes to mind each time we hear this quote. Or a better way to ask the question is, preparing for what.

Say we go to college to become the best shoemaker in town. We then open up a shoe repair shop in our local village. Would we be surprised if we did not get much opportunity in the shoe repair business? Most likely we would not be surprised.

Find your niche

Olympian RunnerSo to be lucky there needs to be a quantified effort or at least a little foresight for the opportunity we are seeking to have. If we wish to win the Olympics and the Olympics is still an activity then practicing running, swimming or skiing every day would be a viable act of preparation. As one enters and wins local competitions working their way to being the best in their category, then an opportunity will come knocking. Of course, this is an extreme example, but it certainly works as a sample of preparation.

OlympianAnything we aim to accomplish, we approach as if we are entering the Olympic arena of life. Though we are seldom competitive in spirit, there will always be someone better, stronger or faster, maybe :). This never gets us discouraged because this realization is the driving force as we hone our skills and learn our craft.

As we work, rest and play through life, we realized there are a plethora of opportunities available to all. We just need to see each clearly and then prepare to deliver.

Be Well, Have Gratitude, and Spread Goodwill

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.