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“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” Wayne Gretzky

Opportunities come and go every day. Some opportunities we grab and some we let slip away. Why is that? Is it that you do not know what opportunity looks like? Perhaps you think there needs to be a sign or opportunity needs to present itself in a special way. Is fear holding you back from stepping out of your comfort zone or routine?

An opportunity is a favourable event or situation that can change your circumstances for the better. All it takes is one opportunity to change the course in your favour. Your current circumstance can be accelerated to where you want to be. We often mistake opportunities as problems or they may be seen as hard work so we think – I will let this one go, another opportunity will come my way. You may be hesitating on taking a chance because you are uncertain about how the future will pan out – maybe the opportunity is too risky.

“If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.” Tom Peters

If you do not take a chance or try something new, you will never know if you would have been successful or not. You would never know if you like something or not. Suppose you take a chance and it turns out to be a mistake. Did you fail? No, you learned something that did not work. Use the feedback you get around you to course correct, learn from it, and move forward. Getting stuck in the past does not help you move forward. You may be sabotaging your own success with your beliefs.

You will achieve more if you seize the opportunities that come your way. You need to use the GRASP™ method:

Get Clear on What You Want. When you are clear about the “why” you do things and what you want to achieve, you will be able to recognize opportunities when they appear. The clearer you are, the more the road of opportunity seems to open up and a path lay before you.

Ready to take action. Are you ready to take action? What do you need to take action? What is the gap or missing link from getting the results that you want? Who do you need to talk to?

Ask the right questions. It is important to know if the opportunity that comes your way aligns with your core values. Is there a gap you can fill? Can you take on new or more responsibility? Will you develop new skills or abilities? Asking questions helps you determine if the opportunity is a right fit. Opportunities can in all shapes and sizes. Small opportunities can lead to bigger opportunities.

Speak confidently about yourself and your knowledge, skills, and abilities. You need to believe in yourself; speak with conviction. People do not know what you are capable of if you do not share your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Let people know about your successes and track record. Ask them about theirs. You are not being boastful if you are sharing. When people are boastful, they are doing so to intentional boost themselves about others – often making others feel less than them. Open up the dialogue. As you build new relationships through networking, you build a platform to showcase your talents. Your clients will provide testimonials shouting out accolades of working with you. Deliver on your promises – better yet over deliver with some special touches.

Prepare to take full responsibility. Opportunity can be a bit scary for some people. Take small steps to seize the opportunity. Remember no excuses, no complaining, no blaming allowed when you take ownership. You are not responsible for the thoughts, behaviours, or actions others take. You are in charge of you.

Too many people look at an opportunity and see the hard work, time, or money that may need to be invested versus the rewards that may be coming their way if they make the investment in themselves. I would rather gamble on my own hard work and efforts that throw it away blindly. Start seeing yourself as a “sure thing”.

Chances are there is an opportunity in front of you right now. It may scare you and at the same time excite you because you have been preparing for this and now it is your time. Don’t hold back! Give it a shot – seize it! Grasp it!

Don’t just wait for opportunities to come to you! Go out and get them!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.” – Mark Twain

We would love to have you subscribe to the Success Secrets newsletter on my website at www.debrakasowski.com where you’re going to get us free MP3 download 10 Surefire Strategies to Power Up Your Productivity and Performance. I would love to hear about this podcast has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Share it with Your Friends. Give us a 5-star rating!

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com