When it comes to being successful, professionally speaking, there are certain things that everyone knows are essential.
Hard work, diligence, and attention to detail fall into this camp. If you are significantly lazier than the competition, less mindful than the competition, or more distracted than the competition, things probably won’t fare very well for you.
But aside from these “obvious” factors, there’s always the wildcard of “luck.”
To some extent, “luck” is obviously an unpredictable and seemingly random force. But in some ways, you can significantly enhance your professional “luck” through proper preparation, and the right approaches.
Here are some tips for enhancing your professional luck.
Always be on the lookout for good opportunities, and seize them as soon as you can
There are all sorts of opportunities out there that can have the potential to transform your professional life, as long as you notice them and seize upon them at the right moment.
The phrase, “the right place and the right time,” is basically a comment on finding and seizing upon opportunities that have a major positive effect.
Of course, you can’t necessarily reliably predict where opportunities will be found, or when they might arise, but you can certainly take steps to acquire the habit of always looking out for good opportunities, and spotting them as soon as possible.
Simply subscribing to a good service for discovering business tenders, for example, might work wonders in this regard.
Be as disciplined and organised as possible, so that you’re ready to receive and capitalise on the opportunities that come your way
In addition to spotting opportunities early and seizing them, you also need to actually be ready to receive and capitalise on those opportunities in the most effective possible ways.
To a large degree, this comes down to being as disciplined and organised as possible, so that you are properly on top of your tasks and projects, have a good comprehensive overview of your professional appointments and obligations, maintain a stable and efficient workflow, and can easily and quickly act to incorporate new elements.
Begin by tidying up and organising your workspace if it isn’t already, utilising a powerful task and project management system, and becoming diligent about your scheduling and time management.
Know what you want, and simplify your professional life in line with your goals
If you don’t know where you want to get to, no map will help you to get there, and no street signs will mean very much to you one way or the other.
In order to actually recognise professional “luck” for what it is, never mind to actually seize upon opportunities effectively, you have to have a clear idea of what you want, and you need to be able to simplify your professional life in line with your goals in order to reduce distraction.
Many entrepreneurs fail to notice compelling opportunities, because they are so distracted by all the other elements of their businesses they are trying to juggle.
Narrow your focus. Aim to do less, but to do it better. Have a specific goal you’re aiming for, and then keep an eye out for opportunities that are in line with it.