Opportunity is one of those words we all seem to be hunting, from the first moments of our life (a baby seeking an opportunity to feed) to the last moments of our life (a man or a woman seeking their final goodbyes, an opportunity to put it all right).
And certainly all through our lives, every day in fact – we are looking for opportunities. A quiet moment to have a rest, a space in the traffic to merge over, an empty checkout or maybe even the right moment to raise a subject with your spouse. Opportunity is everywhere and we become honed in our skills in capturing these moments, probably more than we realise.
As well as opportunity seekers, us humans are great hunters, we don’t back down quickly – we recognize our need, or essentially long-term goals. We will even search for opportunity through disability. We find ways to get around the obstacles to chase the moments that present themselves daily. But, what is it that stops us from chasing the big opportunities? Put aside errands to the local store, a free afternoon to take the kids to the Zoo or a couple of weeks off, for a vacation. That’s not really the kind of opportunity, I am talking about.
Take for instance, my favourite creature on earth (The Eagle) – I think many of us are inspired by this bird. In fact, the power of the Eagle and how it relates to life, sort of makes it sound more than a bird. When I think of the word ‘Bird’ – I think of little sparrows or crows or seagulls. So, calling the Eagle a bird seems simply wrong. I think of it more as an inspiration machine. Machine sounds wrong too, maybe Inspiration in motion. When watching any type of Eagle – I see the word opportunity written down its back. Not literally, of course – but as a signal and as a lesson on how we should also grab a hold of a battle, a hurt or a fabulous experience & turn it into opportunity.
The Eagles decisive dive and flight for its prey is taken with not one ounce of hesitation. I have never once seen an Eagle sit on a mountain top or a massive tree – spy potential lunch and sit back, cross his legs and think about it for a while? Doesn’t sound right, does it? Not for a second. He is trained to tunnel in with his eyes, stay focused, see his lunch & take off in an instant. Does he look behind him and ask his mates if he should go and get it (whatever it is)? Does he wait 10 minutes to see if anyone has an opinion? If he did, we all know – his opportunity would be eaten by another Eagle, maybe by an eel or a bigger fish. That’s why he must go now, grab the fish that is HIS opportunity and make it worth something to him.
I know from experience sometimes that life really sucks. Every person on earth knows this. it’s tough out there. Our opportunities don’t always come in the form of a ‘live fish’ or a perfectly ‘intact fish’ – I’m sure that if the Eagle waited for a perfect looking meal, he might end up being skinny, wasting and not too healthy. The Eagle dives for whatever his meal presents as, a fish or a rabbit, a mouse or a rat, perfect or slightly irregular.
Like the Eagle and his meal, for us opportunities come in all shapes and forms. Certainly, rarely are they perfect looking sometimes they look down-right ugly, frightening or messy. Fear is what holds us back. Poison meals also presents themselves masked as a tasty dish and certainly we must be weary of what a good opportunity is and what is dangerous.
So let’s think of ourselves like an Eagle, there is opportunity all around you, to fulfil your dream, to apply yourself in whatever your heart desires, don’t let the people behind you tell you not to dive. Your gut is probably telling you, you will regret it if you don’t fly into this opportunity, into what is ahead.
And many of us look back and wonder why we didn’t pick up past opportunities.
There are more on your horizon everyday. Don’t lose heart, fly like the eagle and grab your meal today.
Listen to this song, hear the words and understand that opportunity is everywhere, ‘when you believe’
(click on the picture below):
