What's the Opportunity?

By Jaime Willis

This weekend was a bit of a bummer -- I spent over 30 hours at work finishing an important project.  Now, while no one wants to spend their entire weekend at work, situations like this are perfect for stretching your "opportunity" muscles.

When you are dealing with a difficult or unenjoyable task (or both!), your attitude will make all the difference.

First -- I'm leaving for a week's vacation today -- so working over the weekend gave me the opportunity to really appreciate my time off of work.

Second -- I chose to make the best of my project by packing a bunch of action adventure movies to listen to as I entered data.  My 18-hour work day on Saturday turned into a bit of a movie marathon -- National Treasure, Time Line, The Italian Job, Speed, and The Fugitive.

Third -- when I realized the work would take longer than I thought on Saturday, I had a choice. I could stay and keeping working long into the night or leave at a reasonable hour and come back Sunday to finish it up.  I chose to stay on Saturday so I could sleep in on Sunday and do personal errands.

Really early on Sunday morning (3 or 4am, depending on Daylight Savings Time), I finished the assignment and took a taxi home.

While I've had more fun on a weekend before, I am really satisfied with my time spent this weekend.  I could have been miserable and angry all weekend.  I chose to make the best of it, and I hope you find a way to do the same next time you have a "bummer" of a situation.  

Defects and Opportunities

-by Matt Leedham

The other night I watching a TV show called “Mysteries at the Museum” on the Travel Channel. The premise of the show is to find random objects in a variety of museums that have an interesting, often mysterious history. There were stories about hidden treasures and unsolved murder cases. It was all very interesting.

But one story stood out to me. A museum had a replica of Spirit, the Mars Rover developed by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at CalTech. Spirit, and its twin, Opportunity, landed on Mars in January of 2004 with a mission to complete a 90-day exploration of the Martian surface. Spirit remained functional for over 5 years to the great delight of NASA scientists, far exceeding expectations. But this good fortune was not without a series of misfortunes.

Just three weeks after landing on Mars, Spirit stopped communicating with Mission Control. It just went dead. Understandably, NASA freaked out. If it was a hardware issue, they were done for and just wasted A LOT of tax payer money. But Spirit soon squeaked out a small bit of information to Mission Control, and it looked as though it was a software issue that might be causing the onboard computer to overheat. After further examination, engineers discovered that Spirit’s memory was full, so it just stopped doing things. They deleted some unneeded files, and just like that, Spirit began to function normally.

Other interesting and unaccounted for challenges popped up, such as too much dust covering the solar panels that provided power to Spirit, and soft soil that created a treacherous travel terrain. As a result of this, Spirit’s front wheel began to have issues. It soon became inoperable, preventing the rover from driving forward.

There are no mechanics on Mars, and no way for Spirit to fix its wheel. So, NASA engineers and their teams of rocket scientists in their jet propulsion laboratory came up with a brilliantly simple solution that I think any 3^rd grader would have also concluded. They decided to drive the rover backwards, dragging the broken wheel. It would take more energy, but at least they could still move around.

Spirit soon found itself in more loose soil, dragging its wheel, which one NASA engineer described as a “boat anchor.” The engineers were fearful that this was going to be end of the mission.

Spirit’s camera took pictures of the terrain from all angles. When it took a picture of the path they had left behind, they saw the marking of the broken wheel, dragging in the loose soil. It was a deep gash in the Martian surface, showing how much Spirit was struggling to drive on.

But they saw something else too.

In the upturned soil, there was something glimmering in the bright sun. Something they hadn’t seen before in the other images that had been taken over years of exploration.

Spirit took a sample of this unknown substance and ran it through a litany of scientific instruments and tests aboard the rover. The results of these tests showed something entirely unexpected.

Silica. On earth, Silica is found in abundance in hot springs. Hot springs are known to be an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and are typically teaming with living organisms.

Spirit just discovered that life-sustaining conditions once existed on Mars.

The narrator ended the segment with, “What was once a threat to the mission, the broken wheel of Spirit uncovered this remarkable discovery.”

I share this story because I see so many parallels to human achievement and potential. I see so many people focused on what they lack and don’t have, or what’s wrong with them or their “situation.” Hidden underneath all of that is great opportunity and potential.

The message is simple. Be Spirit. Use your perceived "broken wheel" to change humankind.

What have you asked for lately?

-By Jaime Willis

"We find what we expect to find, and we receive what we ask for." -Elbert Hubbard

I know that we've written on this subject on our blog before, but it's a topic worth repeating. Achievers ASK questions. Lots of them, to lots of people, all the time.

Last week, Matt and I were doing some financial planning for our business, which led me to do some personal financial planning. I asked myself what I wanted to have accomplished financially by the end of 2012. Goals like this are usually pretty easy to come by -- I want to be able to pay my bills and rent with ease, I want to pay down my student loans, I want to buy a car and have money saved for a down payment on a home. Nothing too crazy, right?

When I mapped out my financial goals against my anticipated income, I determined that I would be "ready" to look at housing at the very end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013. It's a big goal, and it made sense to me that it was going to take a long time to get there.

Here's where it gets interesting. I shared my goal with a friend of mine who is a realtor. As a successful realtor, she immediately began asking me questions -- Where (city, neighborhood) did I want to buy? What kinds of property (condo, townhouse, rowhouse) was I looking to buy? What was my budget? What were my must-haves?

The first SPARK from this conversation came when I decided to share my "dreams" with her, not just what I thought I would actually be able to buy. I am very grounded in reality and know how much real estate is in DC and how much I am willing to finance, but that didn't stop me from telling her my favorite locations and types of homes.

When I did that, something amazing happened! She realized that I was operating under a lot of false assumptions about the housing market. She was able to share with me different financing options that don't require the homeowner to put 10-20% down. She enlightened me to a few different neighborhoods that offer the type of housing I am interested in.

By the end of the conversation, I realized that it may be possible for me to buy property THIS year, not 18-24 months down the road! I'm actually doing a conference call today with my realtor and mortgage broker to talk details -- how cool is that?

You may be saying, "Oh, Jaime is just really lucky. That kind of stuff is always happening to her." I'll admit that lots of great opportunities ARE coming my way, but not because I'm lucky.

Opportunities manifest themselves when you ASK for them.

If you are a bit nervous about doing this yourself, why not start with something small? The next time you go to a restaurant, ask them to make you something not on the menu. For example, did you know Chipotle will make you a quesadilla if you ASK? Even if you think you know the answer, ASK anyway. You may be surprised to find that you didn't know as much as you thought!

What can you ask for today?

Change of Plans

-by Matt Leedham

Plans change. That's a fact.

How people react to change is very interesting. Have you noticed that some people seem very relaxed and go with the flow when things change unexpectedly? And how others seem quite flustered when things don't go exactly as planned? Which one are you...and why?

5 days ago I ended up in the Emergency Room in Chicago. I didn't plan for that.

Finding Value in Change
One day after arriving in the Windy City for one of the most significant EO events of the year, I experienced excruciating pain in my lower back as I crossed the street. I literally stopped in the middle of the street as a tried to register what just happened.

I've had lower back problems for years and this felt oddly familiar to my worst back injury 3 years ago that had me bedridden for nearly a week. I slowly hobbled to the JW Marriott and hooked up with my colleagues. I tried to stick it out for a few hours, but the pain and stiffness in my back was just too much. I couldn't even concentrate on the meetings, and the pain must have been written all over my face, because my colleagues insisted I get help.

I headed to the Emergency Room at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I was promptly fed a handful of narcotics which actually had very little effect on the pain caused by what turned out to be a herniated disc. I was shot up with more drugs and was finally comfortable enough to leave the hospital. However, I left with four prescriptions of various narcotics and instructions to take them four times a day for the next four days, rendering me completely useless to my team.

As much as I didn't plan to miss the most important conference of the year, my teammates certainly didn't plan for me to miss all of my duties and responsibilities. However, because they were primed for constant change, they successfully adapted to my absence without skipping a beat. In fact, they did it so well that I am left questioning my own necessity on the team!

What benefits and opportunities can you identify in times of change or chaos? I realized that I have a great team behind me that has my back and will get the job done.

Priming for Change
5 years ago Jaime and I worked at a start-up education firm in DC where we had two expressions that summed up our experience.

ACH - Anything Can Happen
COP - Change of Plans

"ACH" was used as an expression of humor and relief at the end of a long day. "COP" was used more as a greeting which indicated that something crazy was going to happen and that I should brace myself for change. Literally, I would get a call on my cell phone and the first thing I would hear is: “COP.” What came next could be anything – e.g. writing up a proposal, picking up an international visitor from the airport, planning an event for that evening, etc. It didn't matter. If I heard the letters COP, I was prepared to do anything.

Are you primed for change? What can you do to mentally prepare for change if you know it’s likely to happen?

Companies hire for adaptability and willingness to be creative in constantly changing environments. It's an important skill to have if you want to be successful.

Are you prepared for change? How do you react when things get turned upside down? I encourage you to be flexible as there is often a hidden opportunity amidst the change.

For me, the opportunity this week that resulted from my back injury was the amazing performance of my team at work. My trust in them skyrocketed and they delivered on a great opportunity to demonstrate teamwork, one of our core values.

Unclench

-By Matt Leedham

I need to inform you of a word that may not always be appropriate.  But this is our blog, so it's very appropriate.  And it so accurately describes an important process in human thought patterns that it must be discussed.

I learned the phrase "unclench" a couple of years ago from a guy I admire.  His name is Michael and he's based in California.  He owns a very successful catering and food delivery service and he has taught me a lot about strategic planning.  I was helping him administer a strategic planning session with a group of entrepreneurs last year and we ran into a challenge.  He was the facilitator and was trying to get the group to think BIG about the future.  But instead, the group kept wallowing in their disadvantages and why they just couldn't accomplish BIG things.

After about 10 minutes of this drudgery, Michael called a halt to the meeting.  He said, "Alright everyone, we're getting mired in can'ts and won'ts - there's something here that's holding you back.  We need to unclench."

Unclench? I chuckled to myself.  That's quite the reference, but definitely what needed to happen.

He continued, "Just let go and let it out.  Shout out all of the dangers, obstacles, and weaknesses you feel you have as a group.  I'll give you 5 minutes to get it all out of your system.  Then we're going to move on and capitalize on all of these opportunities in disguise."

What happened next was amazing.  The group didn't need 5 minutes -- they needed maybe two minutes.  After that, the next 2 hours was full of positivity and optimism.  It was just a mental block that needed to be addressed.  No doubt the challenges were very real, which is why everyone was getting tripped up on them.  But once addressed, confronted, and reversed, (i.e. the opposite of a danger is an opportunity), the energy in the room shifted toward setting their sights on BIG goals.

Flash foward to this week.

Jaime and I are chatting about a project we're working on.  Unknowingly, I started to complain and whine about something that didn't go right.  After patiently listening for a few minutes, Jaime interrupted me and said,

"Okay, you have..."now looking at her watch, "...10 minutes to vent, complain, and stomp around about this before we decided what we're going to do about it."

I looked at her for a moment, both shocked and impressed.  Did she just challenge me to unclench? Haha! She did.

I came up with maybe 2 or 3 things that were frustrating me and then that was it.  I only needed about a minute.  Then we started focusing on the opportunities that could result from things not turning out the way we had hoped.

Are you, or is someone you know, getting hung up on the negatives of a situation? Are you getting stuck in the weeds of why something won't work? Try a little exercise that might get you unstuck.  List all of the things that are holding you back -- all the reasons why it just won't work.  Take your time.  After an exhaustive list, go down the list and try to uncover the opportunity within each challenge.  it's helpful to do this with a buddy or small group as they can help you discover opportunities where you may not have seen them before.

Examples:

Danger/Obstacle:  I don't have the expertise or skill set.
Reversed: I have an opportunity to learn something new.

Danger/Obstacle: I don't have the money.
Reserved: I have an opportunity to explore financial resources that are available to me and to be creative with budgeting.

Danger/Obstacle: I don't know the right people.
Reversed: I have an opportunity to reach out to my existing network and make new friends that can help me.

Give it a shot!  Once you realize the opportunity, then it's just a matter of using your innate creativity to find a way to get it done.

Need help? Jaime and I are Opportunity Ninjas! We will help you find a way! Contact us!

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #12

-By Jaime Willis

Happy Wednesday y'all!  As you read this, I am flying back from New Mexico.  I had a wonderful trip, and I'm happy to be heading home!

Matt shared a great visual with me this week that I wanted to share with all of you.  I think this does a great job of expressing some of the feelings we have as we're growing through a new opportunity or challenge.

Found on K'Boom

Have a wonderful Wednesday & a great rest of your week!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

-By Jaime Willis

"Many an opportunity is lost because a man is out looking for four-leaf clovers."

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Actually, around here, we like to call March 17th the "Matt Leedham National Holiday" as it is one of his favorite days of the year! (Matt is grateful that that is the largest size photo I could find of him in his holiday get-up!) In Matt's honor, we've turned our webpage green for the day.

On a holiday filled with talk of luck, I want to dispel the myth of luck. You aren't missing out on life because you are unlucky. The other person didn't get the job because they were luckier than you. Luck just doesn't exist.

What does exist is PREPARATION and OPPORTUNITY. When you are prepared to take advantage of an opportunity, you may get "lucky." How can you prepare to be lucky?

• Start each day with a positive attitude and outlook. "You can complain that roses have thorns or you can rejoice that thorns have roses." It is all in your outlook. Since an optimistic attitude has been proven to make a positive difference in recovering from illness and achieving goals, you can activate your 'luck' first with a great attitude.

• Do your research. You may have always wished you could be on the Today how. But have you ever once done the research to see what it takes to get on an episode? What stories are they looking for? How do they book guests? How 'timely' do stories need to be? If you have the answers to all these questions, you can craft a piece or a pitch that best meets the show's needs. You may get 'lucky' enough to get on the air.

• Ask for help. We've said this before and we'll say it again, networking is amazing. The world is getting smaller and smaller -- it is surprising how often someone you never would have guessed has a contact, lead, or information on something you are trying to accomplish. For example, think how many parents your kid's teacher knows who are all in different fields? How about the barista that serves the same regulars every day? I was once connected to a private car auctioneer through the parent of one of the kids I tutored, just because I asked how the student was able to get such a good deal on his vehicle.

• Have your resources at the ready. I graduated from law school in 2003 and passed the New York Bar that same year. However, for the next six years, if you had desperately needed a lawyer and were willing to pay me a MILLION dollars to fix a legal problem for you, I could not have done it. Why? Even though I'd spent seven years in school and another several months studying for the toughest exam I've ever had to take, I stopped just short of the finish line. Because I never went back up to Albany, New York to get sworn in. For SIX YEARS after I passed the bar, I couldn't say I was a licensed attorney. You cannot get 'lucky' if you don't have the right resources available to take advantage of the opportunity. In 2009, I finally went up and got sworn in. Now, if a legal opportunity came up, I could take advantage of it.

• Keep your eyes open for opportunity. Opportunity rarely comes in the exact packaging you'd expect. A lot of opportunities come with a whole heap of hard work attached to them. The perfect job for you might be in a city across the country. Your dream home may be lovingly updated in the latest '70's style. Don't edge away from opportunity just because it requires a leap of faith or hard work - go for it!

I hope are preparing for your next opportunity today! I know I am.

Are Your Receptors Open?

-by Matt Leedham

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” – Buddhist Proverb

Along the lines of my thoughts on luck, opportunity and coincidence seem to happen a lot more to those that are prepared to receive them. Just as the teacher appears for the ready student, so does “aha!” moments for ready achievers.

Have you ever noticed that when you learn a new word, you start hearing and seeing that word multiple times over the following weeks?

Let me give you an obscure example. Two weeks ago, I learned of the word ‘heuristic.’ I was reading a classic book on positivity and the power of thought called “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. This book, originally published in 1937, is credited for being the first (and by some accounts, the best) modern-day, personal development book ever written. The word ‘heuristic’ was introduced in the book in regard to the human mind not needing exhaustive information to make decisions – rather, we have become quite good at making very good decisions with limited information. I actually wrote about it in Trust Your Gut.

To me, this was a completely unknown word – I was sure that I had never seen it or heard it before. How, then, is it possible that just 8 days later in San Antonio, I heard an author/speaker use that word in reference to marketing tactics?

Is it more likely that a word that had never crossed my path before, all of a sudden presented itself to me twice in 8 days? After decades of reading, studying, and listening to words, that’s quite the coincidence, wouldn’t you say?!

What’s more likely is that I have seen or heard that word many times before, but never bothered to look it up or ask questions. I just let it wash over me and therefore, it didn’t really exist in my vocabulary.

This happens with inspiration too. It happens with dreams and aspirations as well. Too often, we don’t allow our receptors to be open to opportunity or “luck” or “chance” or “coincidence” (quotations used intentionally as I don’t really believe in these things).

This is why we encourage our workshop attendees to do the following:

1. Prime themselves to be positive
2. Visualize their future in great detail
3. Write their visions on paper
4. Tell others about their vision

If you do these things, your receptors are now open for business!

And if done with sincere positivity, you will literally be amazed by the opportunities that seem to present themselves to you. You will begin to see patterns and resources you didn’t see before. You will connect the dots and things will begin to happen.

Know what you want and be open to receiving. Be prepared for good things to come!

The Thing About Luck

- by Matt Leedham

So…the thing about luck is…

There is no luck.

Sorry. But luck has nothing to do with success. I’ll admit there’s a little luck involved with winning the lottery, but that’s about it.

I’ve been saying this for years, especially after an old mentor of mine told me that there is no such thing as luck. In fact, I remember him saying that it’s almost insulting when someone says you’re lucky for the position you are in or the opportunities you have. He was right.

Luck = being prepared for opportunity.

Some people walk around with their eyes open. Some people walk around every corner of their lives looking for opportunity with their eyes wide open. Just like in relationships, when your receptors are open, opportunities present themselves. And when you are ready for them, things happen.

Guess what. This isn’t just my brilliant theory. Professor Richard Wiseman is at it again! Check out the psychology of luck, where Prof. Wiseman’s study concludes that “lucky” people tend to employ these four principles:

1. Maximize Chance Opportunities (expand your network and listen more)
2. Listen to Your Gut (hunches are creativity and opportunity speaking to you)
3. Expect Good Fortune (haven’t we mentioned the power of positivity before?)
4. Turn Bad Luck to Good (again, stay positive and keep bad moments in the moment)

So, please don't use luck as an excuse. Other people aren't luckier than you, and you don't have "bad luck." Good things happen and bad things happen. What we do with it is entirely up to us.

Stay open. Stay positive. Expect good things. Put yourself out there. Talk to people. Share. Receive.

Make things happen.