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How to invent an opportunity with luck and innovation

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get an opportunity out of thin air? You might think it takes a lot of good luck to come across them, but that’s not the case. We invent our opportunities more often than we stumble across them. “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder […]

Phil McKinney
Phil McKinney
1 min read
invent opportunity

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get an opportunity out of thin air? You might think it takes a lot of good luck to come across them, but that's not the case. We invent our opportunities more often than we stumble across them.

I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it” – Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson had it right when he said these now famous words, luck is something you create. The secret to creating your own luck, as Kevin Daum at Inc.com points out, is actually pretty simple. All you need to do is:

  • play to your plan ahead
  • play to your strengths
  • stop procrastinating
  • network often
We invent our opportunities more often than we stumble across them.

Phil McKinney

All of these actions will increase your chances of hearing about (and seeing) opportunities that can be life changing.

To be honest, simple is a relative term here. It takes time, dedication, and daily practice to do all these things. Thankfully, as long as you tackle most of those five simple things, you'll be generating your own luck and seeing opportunity dancing your way.

Thankfully, hard work is not the only thing that creates opportunities to come to you. Being an innovator is not just about solving problems, its about solving problems no one else sees. This ability to see what others don't see causes potential opportunities to crop up so quickly you'll be swamped with opportunities.

This is what we want to achieve! All it takes is a bit of innovation, hard work, and playing to your strengths to create personal opportunity. For each opportunity you have created, there is a ripple effect that gives organizations and society opportunities as well.

To stay up-to-date on the latest thinking on how you can create opportunities that lead to cutting edge innovation, subscribe to the blog.

Blogcreate opportunitiescreating your own luckcutting edgecutting edge innovationideaInnovationinnovatoropportunitiesopportunityThomas Jefferson

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Phil McKinney is an innovator, podcaster, author, and speaker. He is the retired CTO of HP. Phil's book, Beyond The Obvious, shares his expertise and lessons learned on innovation and creativity.

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