5 keys to maximizing opportunities in life

Highlights of great opportunities do occur in our lives. Often, we are brought to a full glimpse of realization shortly after these opportunities have slipped away. Slipped away? How? Opportunities are channels of help, and benefits created by the efforts of others. Opportunities do not come out of the blue. I mean they are not sudden occurrences. That said, you will agree with me that they cannot suddenly disappear.

What must be addressed is how to see and maximize an opportunity. As important as opportunities can be to our individual success stories, they don’t always come knocking. Therefore, we must have a pragmatic approach in knowing how to make the best of them. Here are five keys that can be of great help in doing just that.

Key 1: Identify and define an opportunity

In every challenge, there is an opportunity. Also, opportunities do not come with name tags and we must seek to identify opportunities irrespective of the form in which they may appear. Understanding this will help you realize not only how to overcome your challenge but to maximize the opportunity that comes with it. Some challenges come to reveal or unearth potentials in us. Ask yourself, what can I do about this situation? What resources or information do I have, to create a solution? By doing this, you are identifying an opportunity. Begin to see an opportunity for what it is and not a bad omen as some have it and have succeeded at nothing.

Key 2: Decide on what to do

Decision making is very important in maximizing opportunities in life. Imagine a hen, that lays several eggs and does not brood (sit on eggs to hatch) them. There’s no way the eggs will hatch on their own. Similarly, without a clear-cut decision, a well-defined opportunity would remain an opportunity. It may be tough to make a decision particularly if you are uncertain. A decision is a conscious acquisition of a thing that informs our actions. Therefore, be optimistic and confident that you can do it and you will be amazed at the outcome. One day the decision made by four lepers helped secure food for a whole nation (2 Kings 7:3-20).

Key 3: Design a working approach

Most people do not make the most of opportunities because they often do not have a working approach. I say, have a plan, a blueprint, a flow chart, in fact, develop a systematic approach of how to achieve the best in every opportunity that comes your way. There is no such thing as “this is a small opportunity”. Even if it appears so, make it big by bringing your big guns to the table. Do not leave things to chance, make a plan! The observed routine is that many pray more and often have no plan when our prayers are answered. Do not plan without praying and do not pray without planning. A farmer who tills his land whiles waiting for rains shows readiness compared to another farmer who sits waiting for rains to start pouring.

Key 4: Do

Do what needs to be done to turn every opportunity that comes your way into a success. At this level, there are certain persons you should unfriend. They are procrastination, familiarity, laziness, excuses…you know them, so don’t fall under their spell. Many young men and women have had great opportunities in life but wasted them on account of such friends. Let this fourth key be a principle to you. Take actions! Don’t stare at opportunities saying; “there is nothing I can do or I don’t have what it takes to do this or that. Need I remind you that “where there is a will, there is a way”. Again, consider the case of the four lepers (2 Kings 7:3-20).

Key 5: Determination

I will like to address ‘determination’ as a key to maximizing opportunities in two ways. Firstly, a person who has succeeded in making the best out of an opportunity ought to remain determined, keep at it and whiles doing that he/she may identify greater opportunities. Secondly, when you do not achieve an expected outcome, don’t give up. Remain focused, keep your trust in God and surely, He will help you.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16). You might not have noticed but God has a keen interest in how we use opportunities (Matthew 25:18-30). Some of these opportunities include life, time, money, information, friends, children etc. In the bigger picture, we will give an account of what we did with these opportunities. It is my prayer that you will not miss opportunities that come your way. I ask that the least opportunity you find will become an avenue of greater glory because God will help you to make the most out of it.

God bless you!