Someone I know rang me up recently; he was furious with me.
He had told me about an opportunity, and although I did not give it much thought, he thought I should have done some research before rejecting it because I was busy.
He had a valid point. Why ignore the chance when you do not know what it offers? What if there is a silver lining behind all this?
His counsel seemed correct.
However, once the conversation was over, another thought crossed my mind: Do I really have to investigate every chance that comes my way?
My answer shocked me.
No.
I Have Chased Opportunities Before
It wasn’t too long ago that I was forever on the lookout for my next opportunity.
While working on one project, I would hear of an entrepreneurial opportunity and within seconds I would be excited by it and would research and brainstorm about its potential and the success I could generate from it.
I would suddenly lose interest in my ongoing projects.
Why did I do this?
Because the new opportunity looked appealing and promising, and the old one I was working on was in the hard phase of its development , the phase of patience, consistency, and perseverance.
Then another opportunity would come along, and I would go through the same pattern of behavior.
I would keep moving ahead but never stay on course for too long to accomplish anything worthwhile.
Until I realized my mistake.
I was confusing movement with progress.
So What Has Changed?
I no longer desire to grab every interesting opportunity that comes my way.
Does this mean I should stop recognizing opportunities altogether?
Absolutely not.
I am still interested in grabbing wonderful opportunities. I am still interested in learning, exploring, and being open to possibilities.
But now the crucial question is:
Is this opportunity in line with where I am going?
An opportunity may be true but not right for me. It may generate revenue and yet divert me from where I need to go. Someone may succeed with it, but I may choose not to have it in my life.
This is not a lack of ambition.
It is focus.
What Am I Building?
There are things I want to create. There are principles I want to stand for. I have a path I want my life to follow.
How can I keep changing directions whenever something new comes along? When am I going to give anything a chance to develop?
Making something means more than coming up with an innovative concept.
It means holding onto that concept when the rush wears off.
It means doing the job even when no one’s looking. It means fixing the same issues over and over. Sometimes, it means waiting when results take forever.
This is the element of the process I no longer wish to avoid.
I do not want to go through life gathering concepts.
I want to make some of them come to life.
What About the Opportunity My Friend Shared?
It might just be an excellent opportunity.
It might even be a better opportunity than some of those I am pursuing right now.
However, that does not make it an automatic opportunity for me.
I can acknowledge the individual bringing me an opportunity without feeling like I have to pursue it. Yes, I can take it in without altering course. I can say, “That’s good, but it’s not for me.”
Sometimes, that is the smarter move.
Because every “yes” comes at a price.
When I say yes to one opportunity, it consumes my time, my attention, and my energy. It leaves me with less of all three for someone else.
Thus, it is not only a matter of, “Is this an excellent opportunity?”
Rather, it is, “Is this the right opportunity for me at this time?”
I Need to Stay
I don’t want to constantly go from one thought to the next.
I want to create something and give it a chance to succeed.
I want to concentrate on what makes sense with my values and my purpose. I want to learn how to execute rather than how to discover. Right now, I am cultivating the discipline to be still when the thrill goes away.
My friend taught me how to stay open. My experience taught me how to stay focused.
I feel like I need both.
I will be open to listening to all opportunities that people bring into my life. I will evaluate those opportunities. But I won’t change course just because an alternative path looks more thrilling.
Not every opportunity needs to get my attention. Not every open door needs me to walk through it.
Sometimes, the greatest opportunity doesn’t present itself as something new.
But it’s something that I’ve already picked and haven’t finished creating yet.
So right now, my choice is to stay.
Focus. Consistency. Execution.
And see where that leads.