LUCK IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY

At best, this quote is a very loose translation of me quoting something said by someone else. However, despite its questionable pedigree, I believe this is a worthy quote, so let’s examine it. People like to say they got lucky.

And sometimes, what happened was simply that, blind luck. In my experience, more often than not, it is something much more than that. Preparation in anticipation of something happening is a big part of being lucky. If you are ready for something to happen, you know what to do the moment it shows up, right?

Similarly, we rarely know when something great is going to happen. But when it does, we can act. If opportunity doesn’t show up, we have potential but when the opportunity presents itself, we have to be ready to act.

This almost sounds like a Hollywood script: Someone prepares for a long time and then opportunity arrives but they stand transfixed and take no action. Has that ever happened to you? Opportunity knocks and you are prepared but you are afraid to act, or hesitate just a little too much?

Action is the part missing from this quote. Opportunity and preparation without action is like standing on the dock next to your ship, as it prepares to sail away. To me, that is not a pleasant thought. I’ve let it happen to me too many times. How about you, have you let your ship sail without you?

Action is what you get when you avail yourself to the opportunity and do something. Action is where you use all the actions and all the things that you have prepared, in anticipation of the chance.

Together, preparation and opportunity, with action yield luck. Without action, all you have is a missed opportunity. Is action starting to sound a little more important? All the preparation in the world is useless if you fail to act. Having opportunities galore is useless if you fail to act.

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