Ever wonder why some people seem to be an overnight success? Are they just lucky?
I think luck is a factor. Some people have it, some don’t. But more than luck, the people who quickly build a practice or business or their career do so for a very good reason.
When opportunities present themselves, they act on them.
Many people see the opportunities but do nothing. Or move too slowly and miss the boat. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Good things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.”
If you are the overly cautious type, can you train yourself to see the opportunities around you and, more importantly, can you train yourself to hustle?
Maybe.
Here’s how I’d go about it.
Start by taking some business classes (yes, even if you don’t have business clients). Learn how to appraise a business or an apartment building. Learn how to read a balance sheet and how to buy or start a small business.
Read biographies by and about entrepreneurs and how they built their fortunes. Find ways to spend time with them. Pay attention to how they speak, how they think, and how they manage their priorities.
And then, here’s the killer strategy:Â Develop the habit of making decisions quickly, without having all the facts.
Start small and try lots of things. Sell something on eBay. Buy something on Craigslist. Give yourself permission to be wrong most of the time because that’s how things usually work. You might try fifty ideas and find one that works.
But one might be all you need.
Earl Nightingale said, “There comes a time in every person’s life where they are given the opportunity to earn more in the next 12 months than they have in the previous 12 yearsâ€
Make sure you’re ready for it.
How to meet business owners and professionals
