… So there you are excitedly anticipating an all-powerful, intimidating yet charismatic genie to pop out of the lamp and, with his big muscly arms folded over his chest, bellow out something about three wishes.

But nothing happens. There is no genie. Hmm, you think. You wait a second then you peer inside. All you see is swirling mist. It smells stale. You sneeze. A puff of grey dust escapes the lamp and settles on your coffee table. So that’s it, you think?

After all that, it was nothing. Maybe the genie escaped before you found the lamp. Maybe it died of boredom. Maybe the magic expired, or there’s a password, or old magic doesn’t work in the 21^st century. Disappointed, you put the lid back on, make yourself a snack and switch on the TV…

**********

So, you thought a genie was going to burst out of the lamp and grant wishes just like magic, didn’t you? Sorry to disappoint but that’s not how life works.

The thing about opportunities is they rarely get handed to us on red velvet cushions (or from a genie inside a magic lamp). Sure, we may stumble upon something that may possess the power to change our lives but then it’s up to us to make the most of that opportunity. Often that means using some initiative, doing some hard work and showing some commitment followed by more of the same.

Don’t just recognize opportunities, pursue them.

Waiting for opportunities to come knocking at your door, leads to disappointment. Go out there and search for them. Look around for what you want and you will often be surprised to see it turn up. Pardon the hippie-speak but the world is a bountiful place and good things flow abundantly (totally, like, wow man…). Seek and ye shall find.

Decide what you want then go for it

Naturally you must be selective and realistic and select what fits in with your values and aspirations. Then select your strategy and tactics and create a plan. Make it happen. It sounds simple, but execution is the most important part of the process

It’s great to dream and plan but at some point YOU have to DO something. No one else is going to do it for you. Sure, you can get help but ultimately all opportunities are there for you to either accept and grow or reject and let go.

Often opportunities require us to confront a fear or sacrifice something else. There is always a pay-off. That could be time, money or relinquishing other opportunities. This is not a bad thing, folks. It’s called personal growth. Embrace it.

6 things you need to create opportunities

• A spirit of adventure: be open to new ideas, people and places.
• Knowledge: know your values, skills, strengths and weaknesses.
• Initiative and drive: take charge of your life and open your mind to new approaches and ways of thinking.
• Courage: be bold and daring and not afraid to take chances.
• Resilience: success is rarely immediate. Stick to your guns and stay firm.
• Flexibility: when you take the initiative, good things happen, but sometimes they aren’t what you intended. Be flexible to diversions and change.

**********

Back to the story…

(Did you really think I would end it like that?)

So there you are watching TV and eating your snack when you have an epiphany. That’s it! I’ve got to rub the lamp! You grab a cloth and some polish (hey, you might as well do a proper job of it) and you rub the hell out of the lamp. You rub until you’ve worked up a sweat and then you rub some more.

You’re at it for hours but the lamp is starting to shine now and it’s hot to touch. Time goes by. You wipe sweat from your brow. Your arm hurts from rubbing. You peer inside the lamp and notice the swirling mist seems thicker and heavier. Rub, rub, rub… the lamp shudders. Rub-rub-rub… there’s a smell like incense or candles… Rubbidy-rub-rub … the lamp is now so heavy you almost drop it. Carefully, you place it on the floor.

With a final shudder you hear a woosh! and there, standing in your lounge room, looking all-powerful, intimidating yet charismatic, is a genie with big muscly arms folded over his chest.

“Hey, thanks for the release,” he says in a friendly surfer-dude voice. “Great job with the polishing, by the way. So… you know the score: three wishes. Go for it.”

“Really? Awesome!” You are so excited you have a massive goofy grin on your face. Can this be real? There’s a genie poking out of a magic lamp in your lounge room and he’s just granted you three wishes. No one at the office will ever believe you but who cares? You got wishes!

The End

Here’s to all your well-earned wishes coming true,

Tracey