Life is About Moments of Opportunity

Cesare Pavese said…”We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.”

Life is all about moments. Moments we choose and those moments that seemingly choose us.

Whether it’s a first kiss, first car, first day in college or a moment that takes our breath away – life is all about surprise and wonder. It’s the sensation of the moment that leaves us with memories we won’t soon forget and will always remember.

Now is one of those moments in our industry. It’s a time of scarcity, instability and fear. It’s also a magical time of opportunity that will leave those of us with the ability to grab on to that moment feeling grateful for the abundance that we see on the other side.

It’s this moment that we must seize and make the most of. It’s not a time to hide our heads in the sand or a time of fearful decision-making. Leaders are born out of difficult times and from adversity will rise to levels never seen in their business before.

When the dust settles on the Real Estate Industry, how will you say you chose to live in this moment? Did you grab on to the opportunity swirling around you and forever change the trajectory of your business or will you look back longingly on moments gone by and memories of an ill-fated profession?

Steps to Seizing Your Moment of Opportunity

Sometimes One Door Leads to Another

Just because it doesn’t feel like the right opportunity, doesn’t make it a wrong decision right now. Every door that opens is a possibility towards your end goal. The question to ask is whether this door will bring you one step closer to your desires. Let me give you a real life example of what one door of opportunity brought to me.

In 1996 I was working as co-host on the top rated morning show in my city. Sounds glamorous right? Wrong. I was up at 4am, off work at 1pm and working many evenings in a local nightclub or bar doing what are known as“live remotes.” I was a single mom barely making ends meet and exhausted 99% of my life.

One day on a whim my boyfriend and I decided to try out a new local restaurant. The food was fantastic and I raved about it on the air the next day. The owner was told by an employee about my testimonial and called the station later that day to invite us back in. We once again visited the restaurant and quickly became friends with this gentleman.

When my boyfriend and I decided to get married and buy our first home together, the restaurant owner referred us to a local lender who frequented his restaurant as well. These two ladies were phenomenal in assisting us and by closing I was asking what it would take to enter the world of mortgage lending. I spent the next 6 months doing everything from processing assistant to marketing and was now ready to quit my day job and call it a full-time profession.

After 1 year in the business, the two owners decided to retire and asked if my now husband and I would like to buy the business. We bought it and flourished as a local mortgage broker for 10 years until we decided to move out of the broker business and into a mortgage banker role.

Every one of these people has become a lifelong friend and mentor. My point is this:

Two of the biggest changes in my life up until that point – a new career and the chance to become a small business owner - would never have come about if I hadn’t seized an opportunity that came through a simple phone call.

Be prepared

Be ready, willing and able to seize an opportunity the moment it comes along. Being prepared allows you to make a timely decision. Having the ability and clarity in purpose to make that decision divides the winners from the losers. Choose your door, walk through it and resolve to make the most of it.

Have the courage to make a change

Just because you walked through one door of opportunity doesn’t mean you can’t walk through another and another and another. Have the courage to change course if where you are in your life is not where you want to be.

You hold the keys (yes pun intended) to your destiny. It’s often those moments when we step outside of our comfort zone that lead us to our greatest achievements. Those moments of greatness just might let you to make a change that leaps you over and through the realm of possibility.

Don’t be afraid to shut a door

Not every door that opens is the right one. I have an internal guidance system called my gut that I trust over just about anything else. If it doesn’t feel right and you have discussed the pros and cons with mentors and all signs point to “no” – then go with your gut and shut that door.

Sometimes the Right Door Needs a Good Kick

Every once in a while you will come upon a door that just won’t budge. People that succeed will not just walk through an open door, but will break down barriers that stand in their way of opportunity. Never fear a stubborn door, kicking it in might be the extra oomph you need to make a change.

The world is full of people desperate to make a change, but so few do. Break out of the woulda, coulda, shoulda’s and the crippling effects of moments lost.

Seize your moment of opportunity by committing to making the most of each and every one that life has to offer you.

Life is About Moments of Opportunity was written by Rebekah Radice.