Getting Lucky
By Gary Gzik

Have you ever noticed that some people seem awfully lucky in life? They are successful, have promising business ventures, and everything good just seems to happen to them? We'll tell you a secret . . . they probably aren't lucky, instead - they were prepared.

When you watch an athlete at the Olympics, do you actually believe they just randomly showed up there and crossed their fingers that they'd win a medal? Or do you feel that they probably spent years training and preparing for just that moment. The latter is probably true. Those athletes are focused on their goal, and in turn were prepared to grab hold of the opportunities that came in their life. So, what's stopping you from doing the same?

Preparation significantly increases your chances for success. The more you prepare, the "luckier" you get. Luck then, is when you are focused and prepared to act on any opportunities that come along. As Seneca is famous for saying "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." Keep in mind, opportunities are often hidden in the form of work, and this is one of the reasons that they get missed.

It is your responsibility to make yourself and your team aware of opportunities that come along, and to be prepared to act on them as they come. You can do this by constantly increasing skills and knowledge, as well as by showing up for everything ready to listen for that knock on the door. It is not easy, and it will involve work, which seems to be why many people just ignore it. It seems some simply sit around and wait for the "easy formula" to become successful, and not understand why they aren't getting there. Do not confuse luck with preparedness and sheer hard work.

Remember, opportunity is probably knocking right now, are you prepared to answer?

For more information on opportunities to better the communication in your team, please contact Gary Gzik.