Preparation

Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity
-- Oprah Winfrey


There is no shortage of opportunity. Every day presents every person with countless opportunities to be, or do, or to create whatever is desired.

Yet few people ever take advantage of the opportunities that come their way. Not because they don't want to, but because they're unable to. Because they are not adequately prepared.

We often look at highly successful people, and conclude that their success is the result of being "in the right place at the right time." While that is true, it was not random good fortune that put them there. It was preparation that helped them to see the opportunity in the first place, and then to make the most of that opportunity.

Preparation is not usually fun or exciting. It can be tedious and unfulfilling in the short term. Yet it is absolutely essential.

To enjoy success, you must discipline yourself, day after day, to develop your skills, increase your knowledge, make new personal contacts, and lay the groundwork for your success.

When you prepare yourself, you're always in the right place at the right time.
-Ralph Marston