Most of us want what we want when we want it. The problem becomes that we get tunnel vision on what we desire most and miss the opportunities around us that may be even better. You have to balance the engineered with the happenstance in life. If we structure everything, we can get stuck in tunnel vision mode. If we rely on on happenstance, we definitely won’t get where we want. It’s about having goals but being open to what’s around us and allowing our goals to change as opportunity presents itself.
If we are too rigid, we will break. Too relaxed and we won’t get anything done. What to do!? Have goals, create structure, BUT put ourselves in the environments where the success we are working towards already exist. You have to surround yourself with people to feed off of. Humans are social beings. Who we run with is what we will most likely end up becoming. Surround yourself with people that have achieved things you respect. Be open to the ideas flowing around you. Keep your eye on your goals but never be blind to wealth of knowledge that surrounds you.
I have tattooed on my right arm – Ichi Go Ichi Ee. This literally means, one moment one life. Philosophically it means, every chance encounter can change your life. Taking this a step further, be open to the opportunities of every moment. We never know what will happen from moment to moment. We have to roll with it as much as we have to control it.
The message here is simple; focus on your goals while staying open to the opportunities you didn’t forecast. You never know what can pop up that will make you achieve so much more than you set out to do.
Brian Wright