4 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities

Today I missed an opportunity. Yep. I blew it.

It doesn’t matter what the opportunity actually was. What matters is why it happened and how you can avoid missed opportunities.

The reason it happened was that I didn’t prepare. Well, that’s not true. I did prepare. I prepared for what I knew about. But I didn’t prepare for the unexpected. I didn’t anticipate potential realities.

Try one or more of these tips to avoid missed opportunities like me:

1) Take Responsibility
Your problems are not all the result of dumb, mean or crazy idiots that you work with. If they are the problem, then why are you staying around. You get the point. Take responsibility.

2) Think About Future Potential
Imagine the people you will be with in the situation. How do they work? What are their preferences? When have you worked really well with them in the past?

Consider those questions, so you don’t miss opportunities. Chances are, new opportunities will present themselves daily if you’ll just be ready, plan, and take advantage of them.

New opportunities present themselves daily if you'll just be ready, plan, and take advantage of them. Click To Tweet

3) Write Down Why You Failed
The next time you miss an opportunity, think about why. Try to put your finger on exactly why you missed out. (Note: don’t forget #2.)

Then do what I’m doing. Write down the reason(s) why you missed the opportunity.

4) Ask For Help
Your team can help you. (If you don’t have a team, get one fast!) In fact , I wrote an entire blog post on this very issue entitled: “6 Simple Steps to Avoid Making Decisions in a Vacuum.”

Imagine how much more you could accomplish with 3-5 times the wisdom you have. Take a chance on listening and learning from your team.

What else do you do to capitalize on opportunities? How do you learn from missed opportunities?

Leave your comment below.