Have you heard this one before?

“Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Opportunity”

“Opportunity who?”

*silence*

Yes, silence.  When opportunity knocks, so often we respond with silence.  Perhaps it is the silence of fear.  Or perhaps it is the silence of inertia.  Or perhaps it is the silence of uncertainty – what to do next.

When opportunity knocks, you have to answer it.  If you wait around asking questions, opportunity will wander off somewhere else, knocking on someone else’s door by the time you answer.

Worse than hesitating and questioning opportunity, is ignoring it altogether.  Perhaps we don’t want to hear the knocking.  Perhaps we are too busy or careless or introspective or afraid to pay attention.

I am convinced that the biggest difference between people who are successful in life – however you choose to define “success” – and those who are not, is how they respond when opportunity knocks.  Successful people…

• Remain constantly alert, so they hear the knocking.
• Answer right away. with open arms.
• Welcome opportunity in with open arms.

What do you do when opportunity knocks?  Do you answer?  Do you stand near the door and hesitate? Do you even hear the knocking?