“Man, that business/person is lucky.” Or how about, “if we had that kind of luck, we could be successful too”. It’s as if luck comes without effort. Or maybe they just hope that is true because it’s easier than being responsible for our future.
I once read something that said luck is the meeting of opportunity with preparedness. I have observed this for decades, both personally and professionally. I wish I could give credit to who said it because it is brilliant. And it’s true. This belief is also a reflection of a mindset called Be, Do, Have. Whether we are talking about personal endeavors, businesses or non-profit organizations, the principle is the same.
Recently I experienced an example in a non-profit organization. The organization is young and the board is small (5-6 people). It is made up of two founding directors in their 80s and who continued to delay strategic planning. Not because they were unengaged, but because they are small and it seemed obvious. Along came a potential donor who wanted to make a generous donation, however backed out because the board did not have a succession plan. Ouch. Opportunity arrived without being prepared and luck disappeared.
This organization has a Have, Do, Be mindset (notice that is the opposite from above): When we HAVE enough board members (or are big enough), we will be able to DO a strategic or succession plan, and then we will BE professional.
Wait. What?!?!? Let’s flip that to Be, Do, Have: In order to be BE a professional or trustable board ready for opportunity and growth, we need to DO the hard work of creating the structure of a larger board, so we HAVE the ability to receive and attract large donations.
If a new contract, client or acquisition comes along, do you have the financial stability and operational systems in place to scale or pivot?
Do you have the leadership team or structure in place to take on an unexpected opportunity?
Do you know who you are or what you value to grab a good opportunity when you see it or, oppositely, when to pass?
Even if you are a teen or young adult just getting started in your career, this still applies! What if a job opportunity comes along? Do you have one outfit in your closet appropriate for an interview? Do you have a basic clean resume saved just in case?
Are you being who you need to be or doing what you need to do to have opportunity turn into luck?