Have you ever had the experience of walking outside on a windy day only to have a piece of paper you were loosely holding onto fly away? You chase after the paper because it is something important to you. It could be a homework assignment or part of a project you will be turning in at work.

Deseparately you chase down the paper as it continues to be moved by the wind, escaping your grip. However, with grit and determination, you chase it down until you get it back in your hands and then hold on to it for dear life. Has this ever happened to you?

Much like this scenario, you may have had an experience of finding an opportunity come knocking at your door, so to speak,  only to have it slip away due to taking no action or not pursuing it long enough for you to benefit from it. If this resonates with you, then in this article, we will discuss making the most of every opportunity and changing your life for the better.

We will discuss the following guidelines to help you maximize opportunities and accomplish your dreams in your life:

• Set the groundwork for success
• Rise above your challenges
• Develop a plan of action
• Execute strategically
• Allow time for growth

I am so glad you are here; let’s start the discussion!

Set the groundwork for success

Years ago, Seth Godin wrote an article in his blog titled “Advise for Authors.” This article makes a point to say that the best time for an author to begin promoting their book is three years beforehand. He suggests during these three years, an author should start a blog, create a following of viewers and establish credibility to showcase their skills.

This article captures the importance of planting seeds to prepare the groundwork for success. These seeds are small things you and I do to get started with a dream or a goal.   It is the idea that you first must work to prepare things ahead of time to reap a harvest later.

How do you plant seeds, you might ask? Great question! Seeds are planted by developing a vision of your dream and taking time to obtain or build the skill set to accomplish it. This is a period of getting yourself ready by developing a process to get started with your dream. This can be your dream job, business, relationship, or whatever goal you have in life.

Rise above your challenges

Sometimes dreams die when we let challenges stop us from moving forward. A great example of this early in life is trying out for a sports team or maybe a part in a school play; you practice hard and put forth your best effort to obtain the position on the team or role in the play and not get picked. This can feel devastating and cause you not to want to try again.

As this example illustrates, you do not always get the dream position or part the first time you try. This is true of life in general and can be applied to many different areas of your life.

Often dreams are fulfilled only after many years of attempts and failures. However, this does not mean you should not try. On the contrary, I believe it is better to try and fail than not try at all.

When trying to start pursuing a dream or opportunity, realize you are not competing against someone else. Instead, you are competing against yourself. So, never allow challenges to hold you back. Rather, keep striving to reach your goal.

Develop a plan of action

A lesson I have learned is the importance of having a plan. Not only just having a plan but also writing it down.   Imagine you are trying to get into shape and start without a plan. You may begin the process by exercising for a select period, walking and running, etc. But at some point, you stop because something comes up. You know, life happens!

You stop working out for a day, then it turns into a week, and then a week turns into a month. Then, before you know it, you have stopped altogether.

Developing an action plan is different. For example, instead of exercising randomly when you feel like it, get a fitness coach to help you create a plan to achieve specific targeted goals for which you are held accountable. Then, you follow this plan no matter what and only adjust or modify it when necessary to help you obtain your ultimate goal.

Execute strategically

With your plan in hand, now is the time to execute it. Imagine for a moment that you have been preparing for a competition, and you have been practicing and practicing but now are ready to test your skills.

When executing your skills, there is a tendency for you to compare yourself to others. Consider starting at tennis, for example; you may have the mindset to play at the level of Serena Williams but a beginner’s skill set.

If you go in with the idea that you will be at the same level as a professional tennis player the first time out, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. So instead of starting at the professional level, try playing against other beginners while taking time to learn additional skills by observing the professionals.

This is just an illustration, but it captures the idea that when executing a plan not to overwhelm yourself by moving at a pace you are not ready for. Instead, move at a pace you can handle and build on it as time progresses.

You may want to write a book but must start your blog to gain practice and develop name recognition. You may want to open your restaurant but may begin with a food truck to establish a clientele.

Whether your goal is to start a business or advance in your career, move strategically to build your knowledge, develop yourself and proceed at a pace that allows you to grow and become better at what you do over time.

Allow time for growth

I always think of baking when it comes to time. When you are hungry, you tend to want your meal right now. That can be why fast food is popular. We want things fast.

But if you want a healthy balanced meal, you may have to give it more time to be prepared.

This is also true regarding opportunity and being successful in life. Just as opportunity does not always show up when we expect it, success does not happen overnight.

If you want to be successful, it is essential to see time as a part of your opportunity to achieve your goals. You have to invest time in learning and developing new skills, and you may have to make sacrifices to give yourself time to work towards your dream. It may take months or even years, but however long it takes, do not stop or give up.

The critical takeaway is that you give your dream and opportunity a chance to grow.

Conclusion

One of the greatest disappointments many can feel is the opportunity that got away.  This is an important lesson about life.  To help you make the most of your opportunities, we discussed a few guidelines to help you. These included setting the groundwork for success, rising above life’s challenges, developing an action plan, executing strategically, and allowing time for your dream opportunity to grow.

The saddest part of life is reaching the end of your life only to regret not going after that particular dream or opportunity that you knew deep down you wanted to pursue.

I challenge you to live your life with meaning and purpose and not let an opportunity pass you by.

I hope this article helps inspire you to live life to the fullest.  Please share your thoughts, comments, and ideas on how you transformed your opportunities into success.  Thanks for visiting, and have a great day!