“Luck is what happens when opportunity and preparedness meet?”
–Roman Writer Seneca the Younger
(Lucius Annaeus Seneca and his dad had the same name, hence adding “the Younger” helped to distinguish them from each other, in case you were wondering.)
This time of the year, the squirrels get incredibly busy in my yard. They are feverishly burying nuts to prepare for the winter. My neighbor puts out peanuts and we have many walnut trees where I live. I find these hidden squirrel goodies in our lush grass all the time.
I always wondered why they would dig some of their cache up in the fall and eat them, as well. Of course, I googled it. They eat copious amounts before winter to develop fat stores on their body to keep them warm. (Is that why I like to eat so much in the fall?) When the snow falls, the squirrels are ready.
How are we preparing for the winter of our big opportunity? 
When that big goal or dream arrives, will we be ready? Maybe we want to move up in our organization, or negotiate a larger compensation for ourselves. Some people may want to launch their own business. Whatever the goal or the dream, we ought to be intentional about daily preparing for it, so when the opportunity comes, we can seize it.If we aren’t prepared, that big chance we’ve been waiting for will probably pass us by.
How can we prepare?
1. Grow our character. Practice doing the right things even when we don’t want to. Be authentic and honest with everyone.
2. Grow our mind. Like a muscle in your body that grows when you weight lift, your mind grows when you feed it. Let’s nourish our minds with informational goodies that will make us reflect and grow, especially in the area of our dreams and goals.
3. Grow our relationships. John Maxwell says if we want to achieve something big, we have to link up with others. One is too small a number to achieve greatness. Develop relationships with people who add value to you. Associate with those who are where you would like to be, or who are moving in a positive direction.
4. Grow our belief in ourselves. Move outside of your comfort zone more often. Take some risks, even if they are small. Every move outside of our comfort zone enlarges us and increases our belief.
Get ready…John Woodin says “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.”
Getting ready,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
(still CEO of Life Options)
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