Surrounded by Opportunity
You are constantly, perpetually, surrounded. To the point that you cannot get away from it, no matter how hard you try. Every place you go, new or familiar is full of opportunity.
The problem is you do not see it. You are accustom to seeing what you want while ignoring what is there.
Look around at your surroundings. If you are reading this on a computer you are likely at your desk, finding an excuse not to work. If you are on your phone you may be anywhere in the world, but decided to put your attention here. In either scenario, look up. Investigate with your senses the world around you. Take in the colors, the sounds, the air. Is it dark or light? Is it loud or quiet? Is it fresh or dank? Okay, go and come back in a minute.
What did you observe? I asked for colors, sounds, and smells, but that’s what you perceived, not what you observed. Process what you saw, what caused those colors. Was it the way the light came through the window and bounced off the wall that caused your eye to catch a particularly interesting shade of red in the painting on the wall? Or were those noises caused by the clickity clack of your neighbor diligently working away? Whatever it was that you sensed you picked up on it for a reason.
That is an opportunity. I have this happen all the time. I am sitting, in my own world glued to my phone responding to comments, liking posts, when I realize I need to stop and take it all in. That’s when I see something new I’ve never seen before. It strikes me, so I research, investigate, experiment, which leads to a thought, a design, a mental model I now need to explore and expand.
This very blog came from an idea I had while standing in my back yard in the cool morning breeze, watching the sun rays through the trees sparkle the dew on my lawn and catch in their beam bugs abuzz with activity. As they danced and dashed in and out of the light I observed and contemplated a vexing problem, the future, when I was suddenly hit with the idea that the future is being built today and the only one who has control over it is me. Right now I can shape what happens in 10 minutes, 10 hours, 10 days, and 10 years. The opportunity is in my grasp, so take hold and make it happen. But that’s a story for another day.
Back to the bugs. Caught in aerial combat, they chaoticly dodged, ducked, dipped, dove, and dodged at a dizzying pace when I noticed a pattern. This wasn’t combat, it was a dance. It was intricate, fast, aggressive, but not in a violent way. These bugs were fluid, moving in unity. Collaborating and communicating in companionship with each other, responding to their environment and enjoying a few minutes of sun while it was out.
Those bugs taught me something. They felt the warmth of the sun and rejoiced with celebration. They could have had meetings scheduled, chores to do, children to tend to, but instead they took 10 minutes to enjoy what life was giving them.
Had I been fully absorbed in myself, I would not have seen the bugs and this article would have never been written. Small example, but with grander implications. My great-grandfather’s hand made violin could have remained in it’s box, stuffed in the corner of the attic where it spent most of it’s life, but I decided it was worth displaying, so out it came to live on the wall.
That little act inspired me to challenge myself. If he could do that with hand tools in his basement 100 years ago, what I could do? That question started me down a path, it created my business, it started this blog, it has pushed me further than I ever thought I would go and inspires me every day. All stemming from the simple act of hanging a violin on the wall.
So remember, opportunity surrounds you. Take a look and you will be inspired to act.