When the Door's Locked, Try a Window

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Faith without works is dead, work with no faith behind it is a waste of energy—you've seen this scripture paraphrased on this blog many times like this that it may seem like a broken record. To over analyze that logic, one might say that a missed opportunity is the product of workless faith. We all have good intentions. You had good intentions when you filled out your college application. You had every intention to get an A on that test last week, but when you decided to go out instead of study a failing grade was inevitable.

In every aspect of life, we have windows of opportunity and, regardless of our good intentions, we must prepare for them whether we know when they’re coming or not. Let’s look at two scenarios I made up on a whim:

Tom is about 20 years your senior. He the wisest man employed at Render, Stucky and Associates. As the senior partner of the firm, Tom entered the ranks as a Columbia graduate and through thousands of team projects and a rolodex-filled with clientele he proved himself over the years to be a prime gem in the company. But, like everyone else that reaches the top with nowhere else to go, Tom's time has expired. In fact, the rumor is that the CEO wants to replace him with a fresher, younger version of Tom very soon.

So, here’s a window of opportunity so wide open you can fit an elephant through it. And, then there’s you—a cubicle employee, who has proven himself loyal, eager and determined, but will never go beyond what he’s asks. He comes to work at 9 am sharp and leaves, with precision, at 5 pm into a maze of traffic everyday. Too bad, the job offer goes to Mark, the corporate buddy. Not only has Mark exceeded his job duties, but he goes to work early and leaves late. What could he possibly be doing in the cubicle next to you? At least once per week, Mark looks for new clients for the company, assists other partners in landing deals and has moved the company ahead without even receiving a bonus for his efforts. He’s done exactly what Tom did when he first got to Render, Stucky & Associates. He seized the opportunity and a corner office with a view of downtown. Yep! Life is grand for Mark, Tom has a great retirement package and… oh yeah, you still have a cubicle square.

Now, let’s apply this to your academic world. You’re walking past a bulletin board. On most days, you’d just skid on by, but something grabs your attention. It’s a poster advertising a $10,000 scholarship. Man, could you use that money to pay off your student loans, buy books for next semester and pay off an outstanding balance with the university. Just before you drift into a “what I could do with all that money” daydream, you scan the requirements. You’ll need a resume, a 200-word biographical essay and a 500-word essay on what you want to do with your major. Pretty easy, right? Not for someone that’s not prepared. With the deadline a week away, the Mark of this world will print out a saved copy of his resume, tweak a pre-existing scholarship essay and mail them off without a hitch, while you missed the deadline because you created the documents from scratch with no time to spare. Meanwhile, Mark awaits his $10,000 prize. $10,000—in some cases, that's the price of being prepared when opportunities come.

In order to seize the degree, career or academic opportunities God has for you, you must go the extra mile. Be like Mark in the first scenario. Be a go-getter. Make yourself stand out from the other college applicants, who, by the way, are talking the same gibberish as you. Rather than say what makes you special, show it, reveal it before you’re asked.

What are some opportunities you’ve missed that you wished you’d jump through? What did you learn and how are you preparing never to miss out again?