Roman philosopher Seneca said that “luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Although the quote has many centuries of history, I couldn’t agree more with it. We all want to be lucky, in our personal and professional lives.
For luck to appear, first, we have to prepare well. I sincerely believe that today it is easier than ever to prepare well. In my previous post “Invest in yourself” I told you about your personal development. And I pointed out several ideas to improve your level of preparation. I highlighted the importance of training. Today numerous platforms have “democratized” access to good level training. Surely you can find numerous courses that will help you in your personal and professional growth. I also highlighted the importance of reading as an important element in your preparation. And I also highlighted the differential factor that having a coach, or a mentor can bring you so that in this process of growth you have someone by your side, who motivates, stimulates, and guides you in achieving your goals. There are many ways to prepare well, so choose which ones best suit you and start as soon as possible.
And continuing with Seneca’s quote, “apart from preparing yourself well, you should also look for opportunities“. In this sense, I give you SOME IDEAS TO ENHANCE YOUR OPPORTUNITIES:
- SURROUND YOURSELF WELL: I told you about it in my post “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you will become“. A good part of your personal and professional development will be very directly influenced by the people with whom you share your time. So be selective and choose your travel companions wisely as they will have a huge influence on the quantity and quality of opportunities you can get.
- TO EMPOWER YOUR NETWORKING. One of the best ways to get opportunities. I wrote in the post “Never eat alone” about its importance. Networking is one of the best generators of opportunities. As Tom Peters said, “Networking is the best tool to develop your personal brand”. So now you know, bet on strengthening your personal relationships as a key strategy in your development and as an excellent way to get opportunities.
- “UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER.” This is advice that ESADE professor and marketing expert Lluis Martínez Ribes always gave me. Undoubtedly, one of the best ways to get opportunities is through the recommendation of the people who have worked with you, your clients, your students, and your workers or collaborators. Bet on doing an extraordinary job, and above all, exceeding the expectations you had generated. Discard projects that you can’t do an excellent job on. And always go one step further than expected. Surprise, add more value, and leave an excellent impression that is the key to get more opportunities.
- EMPOWER YOUR PERSONAL BRAND. If you want to receive more and better opportunities, you must work well on your personal brand. You must become a benchmark in your professional field. Work well on your recognition and appreciation by your target audience. Make it easy to find and contact you. You should convey an image of professionalism but also of proximity. To do this, define your strategy well and communicate it efficiently. Having a solid and recognized personal brand is one of the best ways to get good opportunities.
I finish with 2 quotes that I love about opportunities. The first, by Albert Einstein, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” And the second, by George Bernard Shaw: “Don’t wait for the right opportunity, create it”.
