“Ability is nothing without opportunity” says the salad tea bag. Well, let’s bat that thought around a bit.What is ability? Ability is knowing how to do something. It is also having the time, materials, and desire to complete a project. It any kind of activity like baking, or sewing, or giving a speech.
An opportunity is a time and space to make the project or activity happen.
If I like to sew but haven’t done any sewing in 25 years, then I won’t be able to make a dress very well. If I like to sing, but I never practice, I would not be ready to perform should I be asked.
I might have the opportunity to be president of a group/company, but I will fail if I don’t have the vision, team building skills and leadership skills for the group.
We can learn skills. “Ability” of anything is in our grasp. There are schools and classes, books and videos to help gain ability. Practice and internships help with ability.
Can we create opportunity to go with our developing abilities? Yes, I think so. If we believe it, opportunity will appear. It may come by way of meeting someone who knows someone. It might be in the form of an ad or news article.
If we don’t believe it, then we will not see the opportunities in meeting people, marketing ads, and news articles and whatever else life brings to us.
If there is something that you want and can do, but opportunity seems to be alluding you, check your belief system. I might want to make a lot of money. But I may believe that money is evil or dirty. Or I may have belief that it is holier to be poor than rich. If that is so, I will never see opportunities to save and make money.
If you find a belief that is stopping you, write it down. Then write down all the feelings and stories you have about the blocking belief. Add to that: “I cancel and delete ________________.” (fill in the blank). You might want to ceremoniously burn that paper.
Then write down new beliefs more in line with the new direction you are envisioning. Feel the feeling of the new belief. Say the new belief with feeling 10 times a day. Start looking for opportunity to carry out your new belief.
If you find an opportunity and you tell yourself “I can’t do that ________.” Then take this “I can’t” and dissect it. If it is an “I can’t” then why. Do you need to learn something? Are you afraid? Of what? Failure?
Ah… you just discovered an underlying belief that is up for healing! Do the same thing again and again until you can see opportunities and take them.
Ability is great. Having the opportunity… priceless!