Success Card #3
Opportunities multiply
as they are seized.
~ John Wicker
as they are seized.
~ John Wicker
Yes, I got Success Card #2 up as well. You can see it here.
Okay, so great. Now I get to focus on opportunities (Success Card #2 was all about being ready when opportunities arose). I wonder if there is a message in here for me, specifically? Anyway, I've always been a big believer and adherent to the notion that when a door closes, a window opens. So it goes with opportunities. When you lose one, another one presents itself.
In a nutshell, opportunities are self-propogating. As we grab, grasp, wrangle, tangle, and succeed or fail with one opportunity, another is there waiting. The thing with opportunities, though, is that they are fraught with risk. Which is why a synonym of opportunity is "chance." Chances and opportunities are not sure things. There is always the possibility of failure. I believe, however, that even failure is an opportunity in disguise.
For example, I had an opportunity last August to compete at Ironman Canada. While I did not succeed at completing the race, I had a chance, which I took, to sign up again. Doing so allowed me to objectively look at my performance and analyze my short-comings. Obviously, I needed some work on the bike. by signing up for IMC in 2006, I now had an opportunity to not only redeem myself, but to improve on my bike training.
Improving my bike skills will give me the opportunity to finish the bike portion in time to go run 26.2 miles (oh, yippee). Seriously, though, while success begats success, so can failure. The difference is in looking at failure as an opportunity to change, to improve to get better, rather than simply an end unto itself.
Okay, so great. Now I get to focus on opportunities (Success Card #2 was all about being ready when opportunities arose). I wonder if there is a message in here for me, specifically? Anyway, I've always been a big believer and adherent to the notion that when a door closes, a window opens. So it goes with opportunities. When you lose one, another one presents itself.
In a nutshell, opportunities are self-propogating. As we grab, grasp, wrangle, tangle, and succeed or fail with one opportunity, another is there waiting. The thing with opportunities, though, is that they are fraught with risk. Which is why a synonym of opportunity is "chance." Chances and opportunities are not sure things. There is always the possibility of failure. I believe, however, that even failure is an opportunity in disguise.
For example, I had an opportunity last August to compete at Ironman Canada. While I did not succeed at completing the race, I had a chance, which I took, to sign up again. Doing so allowed me to objectively look at my performance and analyze my short-comings. Obviously, I needed some work on the bike. by signing up for IMC in 2006, I now had an opportunity to not only redeem myself, but to improve on my bike training.
Improving my bike skills will give me the opportunity to finish the bike portion in time to go run 26.2 miles (oh, yippee). Seriously, though, while success begats success, so can failure. The difference is in looking at failure as an opportunity to change, to improve to get better, rather than simply an end unto itself.
posted by PuddyRat @ 9:38 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
My WW leader says, "Failure is only feedback." Opportunties are all around us every day, but you're right, you have to be open to them.
We're cheering for you! Ride, ride, ride like the wind!
I agree Susan. I am glad you are taking another chance this year at Ironman Canada. I hope to see you at the Y, or on a run someday. Keep up the training.
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