OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS SOFTLY

An investment group has just concluded their meeting and is about to start listening to a presentation on property investment. In walks a friend they had invited as a guest for this presentation but he comes in unexpectedly with another person who had been in his company that particular afternoon. Members of the investment group go up in arms and are openly hostile to the new guest and they tell him it was meant to be an “intimate” session and basically do their utmost best to ensure this person feels unwelcome. The guest quickly gets the message, leaves, and they proceed with their talk. Later one of the members realises that the person they chased out could have actually helped them tackle many of the issues they were having as a group and pointed them in the right direction in terms of the particular investment they wanted to do. In fact they now remember they had actually tried to officially engage this particular professional to speak to them earlier but they were never able to tie him down. Their free advice came in quietly, opportunity knocked very softly, and they dismissed it. Suffice to say they will probably not be able to get audience with this person again plus they will have to go through time wasting growing pains when they could have surpassed them.

We really don’t see opportunity when it knocks. Whilst many of us have the magical figure of say Kes 1 mn in our heads, opportunities to make an extra Kes 5,000 per month pass us by. Just like the above group was, we are sometimes so wrapped up in how exactly things should happen that we do not see opportunity simply because it came in a different form or at time not convenient to us and it swiftly passes us by. Making that extra Kes 5,000 per month may seem little but it could provide the very experience that is needed to be able to make and grow the Kes 1 mn. Another way of looking at it is say someone approached you with a very good investment but you needed Kes 500,000 upfront. Immediate response for most of us is we don’t have it. However do you know 10 people who have Kes 50,000 each? Probably you do so pull the funds together and still benefit. Things are not always black and white so we need to learn to look at them differently and challenge ourselves on how we can do it rather than listing all the reasons why we can’t.

Opportunity does not come in the form of a lump sum of money falling on our lap, as we sometimes wish. It is usually in the form of information, advise, network, ideas that will not force themselves upon you but will require you to be aware, notice that it is an opportunity and take action. Many people have fantastic ideas but are still waiting for opportunities to make money to execute their ideas, without realising that implementation of the idea, is what is in fact an obvious route to making the money. Opportunity knocks softly, your job is to open the door! Have you opened the door lately?

Waceke Nduati

The author teaches personal financial management. Find her at www.centonomy.com or on twitter @centonomy.