It's Never Too Late

It's Never Too Late

I am sure you have heard the saying "Opportunity only knocks once."  Personally I think this is hogwash.  The definition of the word opportunity even defies the saying.  In the American Heritage Dictionary, opportunity is defined as "a favorable time or occasion for a certain purpose."

Think about this - if opportunity only knocked once - each mother would only have one child, each salesman would only sell one item, each student would only get to write one research paper - ever!  Hmmmm?  they might like that!!

I believe opportunity often knocks twice or even three or four or more times.  I think it's just a matter of being patient and waiting for that second or third or fourth opportunity to do whatever it is you wanted to do.  It will come eventually.

But there is a second part to opportunity coming around again and that is keeping your dream alive.  Keeping your eyes open so you don't miss that second or third chance.  I can remember several times in my preschool class when a student would have their sites set on a certain activity - the egg magnets were always popular.  Well, this one little guy really wanted to play with the egg magnets but someone else got to that station first.  Instead of being willing to wait and paying attention to when the magnet area was open for him, he crumpled to the ground, pouted and missed out not only on a chance to play with the magnets, but he let the entire center time slip through his fingers while everyone else was having a grand time.  While this illustration is childish, don't we as adults often crumple to the ground and get down on ourselves when we think we have missed an opportunity.

I say to you, keep hoping, keep watching, keep waiting and keep knocking on that door of opportunity.  I was in a sales seminar once and the key speaker encouraged us to just keep making calls - it might take 49 no's before you get that HUGE yes on call #50.  Just think, what if you stopped making calls on #49.  You never would have had the opportunity to experience that big win on call #50.  As you keep making those calls, your confidence will either build or be diminished.  Work to build it and that might make the difference in call #50.

"Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Albert Einstein is credited as saying this but I read that their is no real evidence that he said it.  That might be another blog topic, but not for today.  Anyway the point is perhaps you missed that first opportunity (or the first 49) but keep trying and see if there isn't a way to change what you are doing or saying rather than doing or saying the same thing over and over.  Maybe there is even another way entirely to have that opportunity come around again.

Being a Preschool Director has has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.  In 1997, I had a chance to apply for a Preschool Director position that I was a shoe in for, but fear, stopped me.  About 10 years  later I was offered a position as a Preschool Director at a local preschool.  I was one state requirement short so I couldn't accept the position.  I planned how to meet that requirement and  now, all these years later, opportunity is knocking again for me to be a Preschool Director.   This time the situation is different - it will be my own preschool.  I am choosing a different avenue to follow to reach my goal.  Instead of giving up on the goal, I opened my mind to reaching it another way.

It's never too late to do something you have a desire to do if you are still able  Another chance will come along if you keep hoping, keep watching, keep waiting, keep knocking and you are willing to try another way. 

Don't let your dreams die.  It's never too late!    (Unless, of course, the fat lady has already sung.)