Jim's Gems: Focus on Tomorrow's Opportunities

Have you ever experienced that frustration when you realize you've missed a big opportunity? If we let that feeling get to us, it can sting for days and leave us with an empty feeling down to our very soul. Although we cannot go back and change the past, there is something we can do.

We shouldn’t be envious of those who had the foresight to grab hold of the opportunity that we missed. Instead, let’s be positively inspired by the success they have enjoyed.

We can choose to transform our regret and frustration for a missed opportunity into enthusiasm and commitment for seizing a new, even better opportunity. We can look forward to tomorrow’s opportunity which is sure to come. We can realize the importance of what we missed, determined to find a path to another kind of fulfillment. Not frustration and anguish, but a feeling of achievement and pride.

Whatever may have or have not happened in the past, now is the time to act. Specific opportunities will come and go. And new opportunities are always available to those who are willing to do the difficult and challenging work they demand. Achievement and success doesn’t usually come easy but nothing worthwhile ever is easy.

Missed opportunity may be viewed as failure to recognize and act. Remember, though, that failure is the stepping stone to success. It is so because so more is learned from failure than success. Let the missed opportunity be a learning event.

Choose to make your own best opportunity from the way things are right now. With your focused commitment, truly great things are possible and will be yours tomorrow if we allow ourselves to eagerly open up and accept the opportunity.