Just about everyone you meet in your daily life is searching for something. Most often it is an opportunity, or a way to overcome and reach beyond the adversities and hardships that surround them. They could be searching for a way to fix their television so they can watch their favorite show, or finding a way to bring in a few extra dollars so that bills can be paid on time. Everyone faces hardships now and again. How a person uses those hardships can be an indication of how successful they will become.
Consider this: Nearly every opportunity that later transformed into a successful endeavor was first found in a moment of adversity or to fill a need. Think of a paper clip. Was it invented because someone thought it would be fun to twist a piece of wire into a funny shape? The paper clip was invented so that people could have a way to hold papers together without damaging them. Previous methods included using pins, string, or even wax. Each of these methods caused damage to the paper – something that most people were trying to avoid.
The situations we deal with on a regular basis are nature’s way of providing us with opportunity. Think of the various hardships that you have faced over the years, both large and small. How have they changed you? How did you work to alleviate the afflictions of yourself or those around you? Think back to when you first were learning how to ride a bike. Remember all the skinned knees and false starts, slamming on the breaks too hard because you were so nervous? Remember the feeling you had, that exhilaration you felt when finally, finally, you could race down the street without the training wheels?
In your life today, there are opportunities to feel that feeling again, to become something better than you were before. Just around the corner is an opportunity waiting to help you transform yourself and the world around you into something you have dreamed about. The real trick is recognizing the chance while you’re looking at the adversity you face. Think of the last time you were frustrated about something not working or an item not quite living up to the standards that you set forth. Did you say “I wish someone would make a better…” or “I wish they would find a better way…”
Why couldn’t that someone be you?
You have the intelligence, and you certainly have the passion and drive. As for expertise and knowledge, that can be gained, either through research or talking with knowledgeable people. You know your ideas are needed, and bringing them to life is possible, so why not get started?
Begin by looking around you, searching out the opportunities that are presented in the everyday adversity that you see. Remember, every problem has a solution; it is just a matter of time and effort until it is found. Make a list of the hardships you see every day. What could be done about them? Maybe your neighbor is having trouble getting his pull lawn mower to start. What could you make so that starting that lawnmower becomes easier? Or perhaps you have a bathroom shower curtain that can never stay clean. Maybe you need to come up with a new way to do the job.
No matter which opportunity you find, no matter which hardship you try to alleviate, remember that you, and your happiness is certainly part of the equation. While the ability to offer a service to others, and to help is laudable indeed, it is important to realize that you are just as important. Don’t be afraid to charge for your product or service. After all, fair is fair, and you should be compensated for all the time and effort that you have put into this.
Remember, the adversity you face can be revealed as an opportunity for your success if you simply know how to look.
What opportunity is staring at you?