Opportunity is a pretty complex thing to get figured out.  Do you make your own?  Do you see them when they are there?  Do you seize them when you can?  All questions that we typically answer depending on what day it is and what we are doing.

I have had the blessing of hearing John Maxwell speak during each of the last three days and one of the things he talked about was the idea that when opportunity knocks it’s too late to prepare.

I have heard that before and I have written about it before and the essence is that we need to be ready when opportunity knocks, so invest your time wisely and in the things that you spend your money on.

That’s good advice and the concept has been part of my thought process in planning my days.  Where you invest your time and where you spend your money are going to directly correlate to your level of success.

Seeing an opportunity and acting on it went to a new level for me today.  After John Maxwell opened today’s event in Orlando, Nick Vujicic took the stage.  If you are not familiar with Nick, he is the young Australian man born with no arms and no legs.

I have read his book Unstoppable and watched several of his you tube videos that have been viewed by millions.  But to see Nick live was an experience I will never forget. Nick’s passion to make a difference in the lives of others is unbelievable.

A guy who tried to take his own life at the age of 10, Nick now travels the globe under the mantra of “no limbs, no limits” sharing his story of overcoming what most would consider insurmountable odds, to inspiring changes that are impacting millions to overcome theirs.

What sort of opportunities do you think a person with no arms and no legs had before Nick saw his?  Last time I checked, I don’t remember anyone with no arms and no legs in our history books.

Clearly history is being made with the movement that Nick has created.  Nick’s first book, Life Without Limits, really sums up my new thoughts on opportunity.

I see it like this; if a man born with no limbs can create a platform that has already reached over a billion people and whose story has changed entire cultures, who are we to think that there is any limit on what we can achieve!

I have some new thoughts on preparing for opportunity and it goes something like this: If you have the ability to do something that you have never done before, in a place you’ve never been before with people you’ve never met before (just like Nick does several times a week) then you probably have the ability to do just about anything.

The challenge comes from seeing the opportunity.  My previous thoughts about being prepared for opportunity were structured around reading constructive material and spending time with people that can lift you up.  I still think those are important, but I have added something new to my list.

What about preparing by removing the limitations that you have about your potential and what you can do.  Do you really think your limits are greater than what Nick has faced?  My friend, mentor, and the President of the John Maxwell Team, Paul Martinelli, occasionally claims to be an assassin of limiting beliefs.  I can tell you first hand he is and eliminating some of those beliefs has changed my life.

What are the limiting beliefs in your life?  Why do you believe they are true?  Because someone told you they are?  Do you think anyone ever told Nick he couldn’t …?

It was an amazing day for me that also included hearing Les Brown on stage and Les says there is greatness in all of us.  I think he is right, but the majority of us will never reach out potential because of the self limiting beliefs that hold us back.

A loaded question for you today – “What are the limiting beliefs that are holding you back from seizing that opportunity that you have been missing?  There is greatness within you, and it’s time for you to start living it out!

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Barry Smith    8/12/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013