Albert Einstein once said “Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work,” and there is no arguing with his rational. Unfortunately, not every genius is necessarily what we would call successful. So what is the x-factor here? Some would argue that what makes one go the extra mile is shear luck. And to the unlucky, this is a maddening concept. So how does one overcome this frustrating obstacle? Try making your own luck. Put yourself in the right place at the right time, set yourself up for opportunity at every turn. Easy ways to make sure you are always on the right path to achieve this goal are simple. Here’s how:
- Love yourself.One of the simplest, but definitely the most important truths is to value yourself. You must accept your faults and know that you are going to make mistakes, and that is okay. It will be easier for you to put yourself out there, whether it is attending networking events, pitching a new company or making new friends, acknowledging that rejection and even failure are possibilities frees you from a fear of trying. When you love and value yourself completely, you will have the courage and ambition to pursue anything you’d like.
- Be a positive person. Even when you are not feeling your best, it is important to always be positive. Successful people surround themselves with people who share the same attitude. It is important that you do as well, while also being one of them. Be grateful, share your knowledge and friendship with others, and people will flock to you. The more you cultivate relationships, the more professional relationships you can potentially gain, which in turn creates more opportunities for yourself. Be the person people come to with problems, and come up with solutions. With a can-do attitude, people will always want to be around you and may even want to work with you.
- Talk less, listen more. Always listen more than you talk, and listen carefully. Never let someone speak just to wait for your turn to talk. There are opportunities between every word you hear, and while you are a better friend and colleague this way, you will also find problems that need solutions.
- Be helpful. Make yourself available, offer your time, volunteer to help, go the extra mile. You never know where they will lead. The smallest job can lead to a big job, which could lead to even more opportunities ahead. When you help others be successful, they will never forget it. And when someone does the same for you, always recognize them. Give credit when credit is due and people will admire and respect your character.
- Keep an open mind. With increased opportunities left and right, anything is possible. There is no telling where pursuing them will take you. Rather than focus on reasons you shouldn’t or couldn’t, think about why you should. Dream big and remember “why not you”?
Don’t wait for luck to happen to you, create your own luck by setting yourself up for opportunity and you can achieve anything. Good luck!