I hear all the time that there just aren’t many opportunities out there. I understand times are tougher than they used to be, and our political leaders have done a bang up job killing the American Dream. Here’s the thing. If you get all negative, or begin to doubt yourself, or blame others for not getting your break you are going to miss a lot of opportunities.
Most people miss opportunities for many reasons. One is they come dressed in overalls and look like work. Or they appear smaller when they are coming at you than when they pass you by. Mostly I think it is because our radar screens are not on all the time.
Let me share a small and silly opportunity I jumped on a couple weeks ago. I went to the tobacco outlet store to get some cigars. When the clerk gave me my change I looked at the coins he handed me. I have kinda gotten into coins lately and have done some research on them. I had in my hand numerous coins from the 1930’s and early 40’s. I knew due to the war they changed a lot of the alloys and minting during that time period. I also knew that uncirculated coins had sold for millions on auction due to the different type of coating a particular coin may have had.
I did the most bizarre thing. I turned to the clerk and asked to buy all the loose change in his drawer. It took a little convincing and he gave in. There was a little over $14 in his drawer in coins so I gave him $15 and split.
Here was my thought process. I had several coins in my hand that were around the era that there could be some valuable coins. I also noticed in the past that this place doesn’t exactly attract the best people, to put it politely. So I figured I had good odds some loser stole his grandmother’s old coins to buy a pack of smokes. He probably used all coins to buy several packs to. I bet I was close to being right because there were more older coins in that drawer.
I was out a few cents to buy the coins in that drawer. Thing is some of those coins were very old. Their collectors value may be worth fifty dollars. I was able to do this with a little knowledge, situational awareness, and the means to act.
This was a silly deal. Thing is small victories like this tend to lead to others. This is how momentum is built, leading to bigger things. And bigger things have come my way since. When you get things right in your head and act on things that come your way the universe has a funny way of sending more good things to you.
Just remember the sign on the door of opportunity says “push”. And there are plenty of doors to push on
Mr Cattlemaster 