Some Thoughts On Business: Opportunity

I have become an opportunity seeker. Here's the really interesting part: the more I become an opportunity seeker, the more opportunities I see. In the past I might have seen mostly problems, and now I see so many solutions.

It really is attitude and attitude has become a bad word. People don't want their attitude discussed or used as a judgment, yet other people pick up on our attitude immediately and there is no possible way that it cannot influence others.

When I first began studying sales at the age of 22, I was told to have a positive mental attitude. I tried and tried and tried and even succeeded from time to time, but the problems were always being presented to me or I was finding them and creating them myself. It seemed like so much work to have a positive mental attitude when the world was so screwed up! It makes one feel like a loner.

Now, over 30 years later, I find that the world is still so screwed up or maybe even more so. There is so much to complain about from business to the economy to the government to the neighbors to the kids and . . . well, you get the idea. I am convinced that the world will never be without a lot of problems. Yet with all of this, I've found a way to overcome the world.

It's opportunity. It is everywhere, all around me, all the time. As I have become an opportunity seeker, I have made a choice to accept the fact that the world has problems and not be concerned about that. When I focus on the problem, all I get is more problems. It's funny how that works, but it works. When I focus on the opportunity, I get more opportunities.

Here's another thing. Now, I cannot stand to be around complainers. I used to lead the pack at one time or another. It's kind of like quitting smoking which ruled my life for too many years. When I quit, I didn't hang around smokers anymore. When I decided to stop complaining, I don't hang around complainers anymore. I want more out of life now. I want inspiration. I want encouragement. I want joy. Complainers want validation and commiseration. It's like a train going around in a circle forever. It goes nowhere.

Yes, it is a change of thinking. And, here is the greatest part: You can do it. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Stop listening to complaints and stop yourself when you hear it come out of yourself from habit. Stop focusing on the problems of life and focus on the joys instead. Can you be broke and full of joy? Absolutely! Joy is a choice, not a result of circumstance. Circumstance is the complainers' favorite topic. Joy will chase them away. That's right. If you start talking about joy, the complainers will run and hide. I guarantee it. They hate joy. They love problems and circumstance.

I have become an opportunity seeker and now I seek it every minute of every day in some way. There are plenty to go around. No shortage of opportunities. Come on in, the water is fine.