Opportunities
What’s an opportunity for you? It can be the chance to demonstrate you can give your contribution to the team if you are the youngest player of the football game. You may be sitting on the bench, quietly watching the others play. Then, before you realise, your legs are moving alone, and your feet are taking their own directions as if you were actually playing. You really would like to get in the football pitch and play. It’s what you were born for, it’s what you’ve been dreaming of for years up to that very moment; and yet, the Manager does not give you that opportunity although you are literally dying for it.
Why not? Maybe because it is too risky. You are too young and inexperienced. A false step, and you can revert the result of the entire game. He is not giving you that opportunity although you deserve it, you want it, and you are ready to run until the last second of the game sparing nothing for yourself with fearless dedication. You are too young, they say! You do not know enough yet. You might be talented, but you don’t have experience. How can I build up my experience if the Manager doesn’t let me, you think! You are upset and impatient, and you are sick of waiting for that opportunity that never comes. You stand up and leave the bench to make your way to the locker room. The match is almost over, your team wins and you don’t care anymore. Another opportunity has been missed to show the world what your value is.
How many times have you seen or heard about stories like this one? How many times have you discussed about such stories in your favourite pub in front of a pint? Football discussions can be silly, and they can occupy most of our carefree time. Situations like this exist in our everyday lives. In sports as well as at work, in your company or at school. Experience if often thought to be the magnificent value that everyone considers a pre-requisite. It certainly is, sometimes, but when you decide you need to go for experience above anything else just pause for a second and think. You need to think of what the opportunity cost is. When you are going for experience, you are choosing security, low probability of making mistakes, and a flat margin of error. On the other hand, you are giving up on energy, reactivity, gut, intuition and hunger to win.
Being young does not only mean inexperienced as it is also a synonym of somebody who needs an opportunity. So, why not give an opportunity? Those who strive for opportunities will fight for them to make things work and steer the events towards the right direction. Those with experience, instead, will know what to do in case things go south, as they know that things can go wrong and they accept it. The youngsters, do not even consider making things the wrong way as an option since they only have one chance. Giving an opportunity can be a bet, but it can have a high return for you and those to whom you have given space. Do not ever forget that we have all been in a place in which somebody gave us the chance to show what we can do. That moment allowed us to be where we are, wherever we are.
