A prestigious business school studying the long term effects of their academic program in the real world found that its graduates did well at first, only to find that in ten years time their graduates were over-taken by a more street-smart, pragmatic group.
According to the professor responsible for the study the reason is:
“We taught them how to solve problems, not recognize opportunities.
When opportunity knocked, they put out their ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs.”
What’s the difference between the two groups?
Problem-solvers focus on fixing what’s broken, and/or making something new again.
Those seeking opportunities go further, asking: “How can I take advantage of the situations uncertainty by trying something new? Where will I be led as a result? What do I now see that I have overlooked previously?”
Thinking along these lines, famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell said:
“When one door closes, another opens; but often we look so long upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
Are you thinking like an opportunist?
