Uncovering Opportunity

wells“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.”     ~Orison Swett Marden~

I have a brash, maybe painful, question to ask of you?  Are you ready?

Yes, I am, Richard?  What is it you want to know?  Imagine – if you will – that life can bring to you whatever you wish for most.

Yeah, I’m with you, Richard.

And supposing that you wish to be rich beyond all imagination.  Let’s say, $10,000,000 in the bank and growing.

Sounds great, Richard.

So now you have your dream and you set about learning what it takes to be so rich.  You read the books, attend the seminars, listen to motivational messages, and write down definable goals.  You feel certain that in time your dream will become a reality.

That makes sense, Richard.

The trouble is that none of your ideas gel and the thousands of dollars you are investing in your future glory seem to be flushing down the proverbial toilet day by day.

That could happen, Richard.

But one day a stranger in front of the general store tries to light a cigarette with a match and the flame blows out over and over again before he can light up.  You are on your way to meet a man about your newest idea, and thus give scant attention to the man with the unlit cigarette.

I’m following you, I guess.  Continue Richard.

You call that busyness, but I call it a missed opportunity.  Your life will probably go on uneventfully and without that $10,000,000 in the vault.

A former metal worker and high school dropout, George G. Blaisdell, however, rakes in enough cold hard cash to buy ten yachts and five vacation homes from a depression-era driven company, Zippo Lighters.

Hmm, that scenario does happen all the time, doesn’t it, Richard?

Yes, it does.  If you become so obsessed with the theory of wealth that you develop a tunnel vision, then opportunity will pass right under your nose time and again, unknown and underutilized.

Let The Dead Bury The Dead

Gomad

“Reality is the mirror of your thoughts. Choose well what you put in front of the mirror.”             ~Remez Sasson~

The very best way to help the poor, the helpless and the desperate people of the world is by becoming successful, or more preferably, rich.

Dwelling on the plight of the unfortunate billions on this planet will not change their condition significantly.  If you are trying to be kind and generous while scrambling to pay bills and keep one step ahead of the creditors, the only dent you can make on world poverty is with the man standing in front of you jiggling his tin can or selling his sister as a trick for an urgent meal.

If you have money, time and compassion – all of which rich people possess – then you can move mountains.  And when you move from the poverty to the success lane, the poor of the world will see a glimpse of hope that one or some of their brethren could also rise to the top of their game from just a single penny and a big dream.

That rise alone gives you the freedom and the understanding to help people rise along with you, rather than watching them to indefinitely remain one breath away from misery through an unearned handout by the government or a well-meaning charity meal.

Think wealth and prosperity by all means.  That is the only way you can make a difference on a large scale.  If you think you can’t rise or don’t want to rise, then don’t expect the people you throw crumbs to with the best of intentions to ever see the light.

Let the dead bury the dead while you move ahead.