Most successful people share the same handful of things in common:
- They are disciplined with their time
- They know how to stay focused on one goal at a time
- They have mentors and other influential people they can turn to for advice
- They have mastered one (or multiple) valuable skills
- Etc.
But in entrepreurship in particular, I have noticed that the most successful people have this 1 habit in common:
They see opportunities others don’t see and go after them
And here’s why:
I’ve heard this expression all my life:
“Opportunity doesn’t knock. It stands silently by waiting to be recognized. It often goes unnoticed because it looks like an unfair exchange.”
What is an unfair exchange you may ask. Here is an example.
Some people hate public speaking. I used to hate it because I was terrified to do it.
Then I realized that if I overcame my fear of public speaking, I could develop a skill that could take me places. So I did that and then something happened. I started getting asked to speak in front of people and I developed a love for presenting.
If you can do something that is easy or has become easy for you without a lot of effort, then when someone asks you to do it, especially for pay, it is an unfair exchange. Entrepreneurs are like that – they do things that others don’t want to do or can’t do because they see something others can’t or don’t see. To them, it is unfair to ask them to do something they love or have special gifts to accomplish because it is natural to them – like breathing.
Do you have something that you like to do and that others don’t but is in demand? That is an opportunity.