Many people believe that if they wait long enough, an opportunity for growth and learning will present itself. This may be true, but the question is, how long might they be waiting? Rather than spending a lifetime waiting for the perfect moments, wouldn’t it be more exciting to pursue them? Instead of biding your time, use it to actively search for opportunities, and you’re sure to find more of them.

Finding Your Opportunities

Hunting for personal growth and learning experiences requires focus and a vision. Knowing the specific direction you want to take your life in will help you begin the search. For example, someone who dreams of becoming a journalist doesn’t start looking for work at a hotel. They go to a local news outlet and ask what is required of a good journalist. And their quest doesn’t stop there. They continue to ask other news outlets until they know exactly what is required of journalists across the board. If that person meets those requirements, then they will likely apply for a job or an internship so they can showcase their skills.

Stay hopeful and persistent.

When an opportunity isn’t presented to you, don’t abandon your dream and switch paths. You must remain persistent and confident. Nobody starts at the top. If you want to make your way into a career that has the potential for expansion and added responsibilities, be prepared to work. When you desire a specific direction for your life, start creating opportunities by doing the following:

• Put the thoughts of your aspirations into words. Talk about them with your friends, loved ones, and even strangers. It also helps to write them down!
• Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. This is where you grow and discover.
• Never stop learning and refining. Picking up and perfecting new skills will put you ahead of the competition of your desired position.
• Start networking. Go out and socialize. Find the places where people in your niche gather, and go chat with strangers. Talk about the direction you want to go (but don’t make it the sole topic of conversation).
• Take chances. Instead of wishing for things to happen, make them happen. Are you hoping to be promoted? Earn it, then ask for it!

Taking these steps opens up the doors to many opportunities. Similarly, you can adopt these habits that will also help expose you to new experiences.

Habits for Making it Happen

Open your mind and absorb everything.

When opportunity comes knocking, you answer the door! But when opportunity doesn’t come to you, you can encourage its arrival by switching up your habits. One habit that you should embrace is being receptive. Start taking note of the information that surrounds you and connecting with your setting. Once you begin to do this, you can record (mentally or physically) how people interact with you, each other, and their external stimuli.

Know the value of what you produce.

Another habit that will raise your likelihood of discovering new opportunities is valuing your work. If you start to think of your job as meaningful and significant, you’ll become more passionate about it. Consider even humdrum tasks as important, and you’ll put in that extra ounce of effort. While evolving your outlook on the importance of your work, also focus on the impact of your work. When you constantly acknowledge that your work can have a significant effect on people’s lives, you’ll take it more seriously. You’ll even notice your level of involvement increasing. For example, if you’re in sales, remind yourself that the products you distribute have the potential to make someone’s life easier and better. Knowing this will help you go out of your way to find openings to improve someone’s situation.

Know your worth and show it.

In addition to these new routines, begin volunteering for tasks that you excel at and enjoy. Once you’ve demonstrated your ability to complete a specific job with quality work, word will get out. It increases your likelihood of being asked to do similar work and present more, you guessed it … opportunities.

Options are endless.

Consider everything as an opportunity. Be willing to lend a hand at any moment and keep your eyes peeled for ways to improve other things around you. Take advantage of these circumstances, and you’ll be presented with a world of fresh opportunities and new perspectives.

Opportunities are Everywhere

As long as you’re open-minded and excited, you’ll have no trouble finding opportunities for growth and learning. In fact, you’ll be surprised by how many opportunities you may have missed in the past. Now that you’re actively searching for new possibilities and changing your habits, you’ll be shocked by the number of opportunities that come your way.

One of the best ways to find new opportunities is by meeting new people. There’s no better way to meet new people than by getting out and improving your community. There are many ways to improve your community, but one great way in particular is to show it your generosity.