Don't wait for opportunity create it

Have you at any point in life wanted to stand up and say something, may be in school, college or even at work? And was worried that you will be ridiculed for it?

Our class teacher walked into the class, with a frown on her face. She looked at us for a few seconds and announced in a low voice “An officer from the Education board will be visiting our school for the school inspection” and she said we all need to be on time and prepared on that day.

This was not the first time school inspection was happening in our school. It happens every year to assess the status and to suggest improvement areas for the school.   

At that moment she made the announcement, I wanted to stand up and give a suggestion to make it a little different for the school inspectors. But I had a doubt, would she accept my idea? What if she embarrasses me in front of my classmate? However, I gathered the courage, and I raised my hand to ask a question. I said “Madam can we do something different this time to welcome the inspection officer”. Surprisingly she welcomed my question and asked, “What’s on your mind”?, I said, “ let’s do a drama or a small act and show them apart from studies, we also participate in  extracurricular activities.”

 She looked at me approvingly and said “let me check with the principal and get back”, as promised she came back at lunch, looked at me with a gleam in the eye and said “the principal has approved the idea, now that you have given the idea, I suggest you lead this idea and do all that it takes to put the play into place..

I immediately agreed, thought of a good play, and decided to enact ………….. The best part of this activity was, until then I had never participated in a school event, let alone lead it. This was a golden opportunity and I grabbed it in both hands. I started talking to my classmates, got a consensus on the play and the role players which included me needing to re- negotiate my role from King to solider to accommodate other classmates who wanted to take the role and to ensure everyone worked in harmony.

Under my leadership the play came out very well and everyone was happy, the school management was also very happy with my suggestion and the way the play turned out. I also heard the school got an additional brownie point for the suggestion I had made.

This incident made me learn some important lessons in life. I realized that

 1.    if you do not Ask, the answer will always be NO

If you go back to what I shared with you a few minutes ago, you will notice how me standing up and making a suggestion, changed my life. Had I succumbed to my doubt of whether I should have asked or not, I would not have become as popular as I had managed to, in school.

So it’s, not only when in doubt that you ask, but also when you think it will give you an opportunity to grow that you should ask.

2.    if you do not Go after what you want, you will never have it

 I had always dreamt of participating in a school event. That question I asked gave me an opportunity to make my dream come true. And I made full use of this opportunity and gave it everything I had as a result I got to do what I always dreamt. Not only participate in a school event but to also lead it.

 A famous person has said “each day is filled with thousands of opportunities, to change the stories of our lives”, so never miss and opportunity even if it’s in the remotest corner.