LIFE'S OPPORTUNITIES

“There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.
Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries.”

This quote taken from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar epitomizes the real meaning of Opportunity.

Opportunity is defined as a chance or possibility arising from a combination of favorable circumstances. In life, opportunities present themselves to everyone, but only those who are ready or make themselves available will achieve the greatest success. Very rarely does an opportunity succeed without active participation of the participant, nor do they go to fruition without positive and active effort. In a way it is not the opportunity itself, but how one deals with it, that defines a person.

Opportunities are not reserved for the select few. They are certainly not just for the wealthy, intelligent, endowed or creative thinkers. Nor for that matter are they just lucky random occurrences. We are all constantly surrounded with a variety of opportunities ranging from small, locally affecting events, to others which could have an impact on people around us, as well some that could change the course of our life. The difference lies in how perceptive we are in responding. Clearly the kind of opportunity depends on individual circumstances. The wealthy are better able to benefit from financial opportunities, and the talented would be more successful in the arts, but everyone has the chance to benefit in their own way.

In life, the key is to understand and accept that opportunities are available to everyone, not just a few, but those who recognize and work for them are the ones who achieve the most. We can all relate to situations where an opportunity goes unrecognized because of our lack of attention or sensitivity.

History is overflowing with instances of successful use of opportunity and equally, of people who have failed the chance. It is not just a hit or miss situation. The ones who succeed are the ones who display a certain positivism, a strength and optimism of attitude towards life and achievement.

The answer therefore does not lie the common practice of envying the success of those who profited from their opportunities, but rather to learn from them, be motivated by them and be ready when your chance appears. Helen Keller, the great American author, activist and teacher, who despite being deaf/blind from birth ,stands out as a brilliant beacon of the successful use of opportunities for achievement against insurmountable odds, stated:

“ When one door closes, another opens.
But we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door,
that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

In the end, rather than envy others who have successfully converted their opportunities, let us instead remember that even if our effort fails and you fall to the ground, rather that wallow in self pity, look around for there may well be a better opportunity waiting for you.

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Opportunities are never lost;
Someone always takes the one you miss.
…..Author Unknown

Many an Opportunity is lost because a man is out looking for four-leaf clovers.
......Author Unknown

The secret of success in life is for a man
to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.
……Benjamin Disraeli

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
…….Francis Bacon

Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work,
So most people don't recognize them.
……Anne Landers