A surprising share of what makes an abundant life comes from the ability to recognize and take advantage of unforeseen opportunities. A strong purpose will help you do this more than anything else. You will find that the incidental gains accrued by taking advantage of unexpected incidental opportunities will often outweigh those intentionally sought, and sometimes by a shocking ratio. Opportunities are like toddlers:
- Many are accidents. You can’t predict them, but you need a way to respond to them if they happen.
- Most are not paid attention to, and in ignoring them, guarantee great regret later. The greatest treasures come from those who value them in the moment.
- They usually don’t play nicely with others. You need a way to prioritize which is most important, because you can probably only really pursue one at a time.
- They are particularly impatient. If you don’t handle them when they appear, they usually will scurry away.
- They can suddenly stink very badly. It’s vital to know when to discontinue what once looked like a great idea.
Opportunities can be far more subtle than their benefits. You are much more likely to notice something you are looking for, especially if it is subtle.
A strong purpose will increase your ability to notice otherwise hidden opportunities. Your well-defined life plan provides a scaffold of what to look for and reasons to look for it. Without a life plan, you’ll be stuck in an up-close view of life, unable to see and take advantage of unforeseen opportunities outside the scope of the present task at hand.
With a life plan, you’ll be cognizant of the overarching purpose that matters the most to you, as well as many goals and even more tasks that will contribute to it. This web of priorities creates a net on which many unexpected opportunities might catch to your advantage. Having an idea of what you are after is a prerequisite to noticing and taking advantage of incremental opportunities along the way.
Your purpose will help you justify the reallocation of resources necessary to take advantage of life-changing opportunities that you might otherwise pass over as impossible. Your life plan vitally assists you in deciding what is important, heightening the likelihood that you will notice and leverage unexpected opportunities.
Always take advantage of incidental opportunities that take much less present effort now than they would in the future. For example, if you happen across items for sale at the store that you weren’t planning on buying, but that you use, buy as many as you will use before they expire. Pull a weed as you walk by on your way to the objective that brought you that way. And always—always—write down ideas worth having that come to you unbidden.