I have a friend named Bill who started a company in the early 90’s that went gang busters almost from day one. My friend was in the right place at the right time and had created a solution to a problem that no one knew existed, but from the moment they saw the solution they knew that it was a game changer. Because of this innovation my friend saw almost instant success and a tremendous growth in terms of his bank account. He sold out his shares in the company about 10 years ago, but the company he founded still thrives today and continues to revolutionize the industry it serves. Bill was in the right place at the right time.
Another friend and mentor Gary would often tell me that he preferred being lucky over being smart. I always thought that was a fun way to look at success, but he always followed up his lucky over smart comment by stating that he knew a lot of lucky people who were rich, but knew a lot more smart people who were broke. I guess you would have to know Gary personally to get the full scope of his humor and commentary, and his time ended here far too soon so that is a privilege you will not get to enjoy.
His idea was correct. Being in the right place at the right time is a form of luck. Showing the skills and talents you have to a particular person or authority can propel your career to new formerly unimaginable heights.
Success is a interesting master. Some people spend their wholes lives preparing for it, looking for it, craving it, chasing it - but never achieve it. Others like my friend Bill, simply had a great idea and happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to capitalize on it to make his fortune.
Being in the right place at the right time. That is a difficult thing to quantify . It is not something that is taught in school. There aren’t a lot of books that teach the skill. The reality is, you can’t plan for it, but when you are there you know it and you have to act.
Living in Nashville I run across people who are either in the music industry, or who want to be in the music industry. Night after night they set up and practice their craft in bars and honky tonk’s all over Nashville. Most will never get to the big leagues but every so often one is performing and gets noticed by a music exec who happens to be sitting in the audience that evening. They experience that right place right time experience and are thrust into the limelight and enjoy immense success.
That doesn’t mean all the others who play night in and night out aren’t as good as or better, just that they weren’t in the right place at the right time.
This week as you begin whatever it is that fills your calendar, take some time to look for those right place right time moments. I am here to tell you that they are in fact all around you. The opportunity to up your stock with the people you come into contact with gives you the opportunity to shine, you just have to be looking for the opportunity and then be able to act on it.
This doesn’t mean you will be the next superstar in your industry. What it does do however is give you the opportunity to be noticed, being able to step up and shine when the opportunity presents itself gives you a leg up and a competitive edge. It doesn’t matter if that edge is in the boardroom, the conference room, the stage of a local honky tonk or any other arena you might find yourself in.
My friend Bill was eating lunch with his then business partner discussing how they were going to finance their dream. Unknown to him at the time at the very next table within earshot was an influential player in the industry my friend Bill was looking to break into. That person overheard parts of the conversation and subsequently injected himself into the conversation. That right place right time moment launched the company that my friend Bill founded.
My friend Bill was luckier than he was smart. He was in the right place at the right time. As you go throughout your week be looking for those opportunities that allow you to be in the right place at the right time. I promise you that if you look, you will find them.
(Did you know you can get Monday Morning Minute delivered to your inbox every Monday morning? Go to PSCoachTN.com and register to have Monday Morning Minute waiting for you each Monday as you start your work week.)