CharlieKenny.me

Many moons ago, as a youth Rugby Coach, one of the things I remember saying to my son was to make sure he stayed wide and watch for the gap.

“Once you see the opportunity, move into the space at pace.” I would say. He understood what I was saying, it was grasping (as a 9yr old) the required urgency he needed to work on.

I never realised that it would become an important part of a kind of subliminal strategy I’ve kept close for most of my own working life.

Reacting to the opportunity is the difference between success – or not.  It may be a simple comment during conversation, an offer of help or a service that may be that opportunity leading to what it is (that win) you are looking for.

Of course, many of us are not in the slightest bit aware of what opportunity looks like. My son wasn’t either until I showed him the value of seeing the opportunity. 

It takes time and practice.

We need to visualise success. If we conjure a picture of success and how we are to get there, we create a pathway to success.

Not everyone we meet may offer a path to success, ‘pot of gold’ or opportunity … unless of course you have described it to them and where they might find it. 

It’s something we need to do … keeping it simple, ‘describing that thing and where to get it.’

It’s why I love to be around people in the structured environment my network brings.

With familiar people around me, I’m able to describe my skills and services. I can describe what an opportunity may be and paint a scenario of what success may be.

My son knew that the object of the Rugby game was to take the ball into the gap and so create the opportunity. Not for himself to score but to empower others to go with him toward the win.

We share the ball and work together … so I guess what I’m trying to describe here is the great value of identifying your tribe or like-minded friends, communicating by shaping the opportunity, talking up the business … visualising that gap and going for the win.

And perhaps keeping a ball handy, as a reminder?