Key to Success: Open to Opportunity

Many articles I’ve read portray opportunity as something that is limited, something that you have to wait for and take advantage of before it disappears, but most of the time this is not the case. I have always believed that we are not subject to circumstance. It’s easy to look at the millionaires and billionaires in the world and say they only made it because they were lucky or they started off more fortunate than others, and in some cases, this may be true, but diving deeper into their stories you will find that the main thing separating the successful and the unsuccessful is a simple yet fundamental life lesson we can all learn from, the realisation of potential.

When a situation doesn’t go as you planned, how do you usually react? Do you become negative and complain, eventually accepting the nature of your predicament? Or are you able to look on the bright side, turn the situation into an advantage, and realise a new opportunity that may be presented to you? These two mindsets make all the difference between approaching life with a positive perspective or a negative one. And perspective can change everything.

Realising Potential

Potentiality is defined as the ability to develop or come into existence. Consider this statement: “I am a failure.” A statement is definite expression of thought; there is no room for questioning. By affirming this, you actualise it. It is your reality. Now let’s turn it around. “How can I approve upon my abilities?” By using a question, you open your mind up to the realm of possibility. Your brain is forced to think of a solution, instead of succumbing to the fixed declaration it has no choice but to accept.

So how does this relate to opportunity? Throughout our lifetimes, we are often faced with many hardships and placed in unfavourable circumstances. However, the difference between being able to bounce back or fall into misery is all up to you. Let’s say you were fired from your job. But now you can start that business you had an idea for. Or maybe you can now look for a job that better suits you. Maybe you’ve had a realisation that you need to spend more time with your family or that your boss is a real jerk. Regardless of whether any of these situations relate to you, opportunity can come when you least expect it, but only if you’re looking.

Unexpected Opportunity

At 20 years old, Steve Jobs started a company in his home garage with his friend. It would soon be known as the trillion-dollar incorporation, Apple. But it wasn’t always success.

In 1985, Steve Jobs was fired from his own co-found enterprise. During his time away, he founded NeXT, another computer company, and in 1986, bought the LucasFilm graphics division, renaming it the famous studio we know today as Pixar.

Unfortunately, NeXT’s computers were too expensive and never found mass success. So the company focused on selling its software, NeXTSTEP, which was quite successful, though not enough to keep the company going.

Meanwhile, in late 1996 Apple was struggling and needed a new operating system. In 1997, Apple bought NeXT and Jobs returned as an advisor, shortly becoming the CEO again. Steve Jobs remained CEO and the majority shareholder of Pixar until he sold the company to Disney in 2006 for an astonishing $7.4 billion.

After returning as CEO to Apple, Steve Jobs, the world-renowned genius and legend, revolutionised modern technology as we know it. Though his journey was not instant success, he tried and never gave up, creating opportunity for himself, and innovating until his vision came to fruition.

“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.” – Steve Jobs.

A New Era of Fashion

I’m sure you’ve walked past a luxury store before, wishing you could roam the streets in fancy attire as everyone turned their heads in jealousy. Everyone knows their names from Gucci to Dior but what exactly does it take to become a luxury brand? How did these brands start out?

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was born into poverty in 1883 Saumur, France. When she was just 12 years old, her mother died, and her father left her and her sisters at an orphanage where she was raised by nuns who taught her how to sew. At the age of 18, she was sent to a Catholic boarding school in Moulins where she started working simultaneously as a seamstress and as a café singer where she got her famous nickname ‘Coco’.

“My life didn’t please me, so I created my life.” – Coco Chanel

In 1910, Chanel opened a hat boutique, ‘Chanel Modes’. Her career started to bloom when famous French actresses began wearing her designs. In 1913, she opened her first boutique selling a line of sportswear made from jersey which was commonly used for men’s underwear. Chanel’s fashion revolutionised the way women dressed. Previously, women wore confining attire such as hoop skirts and corsets. Chanel had a different vision: class and comfortability.

Chanel continued to open more stores as her popularity grew, creating some iconic designs including a range of perfumes such as the legendary Chanel No.5, the collarless Chanel suit, and the little black dress.

Though the famous designer passed away in 1971, her fashion empire lives on as one of the most iconic brands to ever exist.

Chanel’s designs were quite controversial, but they became very popular, and her work paved the way towards modern fashion still worn today. She created opportunity for herself not by complying with the demanding standards of society, but rather rebelling and actualising the vision she set out to see.

“Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable." – Coco Chanel

How You Can Create Your Own Opportunity

These famous stories demonstrate how successful people created their own opportunity. They had a vision and they set out to actualise it.

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!” – C. J. Walker.

I understand that not everyone is in a position to just start a whole business or just smile and carry on when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, but the key and first step to success is having the right mindset.

What can you do to achieve your goals? What are the steps you can take to get started in the right direction? How can you recognise opportunity when it comes your way?

A quote from Thomas Edison says:

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Opportunity takes action. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it won’t be worth it. It doesn’t matter if you think you won’t succeed. If you want to create opportunity for yourself, show up, put in the work, and believe in yourself. That’s really all there is to it.

Don’t succumb to circumstance. Don’t be afraid to upgrade. Realise the potential in front of you and you will find opportunity everywhere you look.