Have you ever stopped to think how thankful you are for a missed opportunity?
Almost daily I drive by a restaurant that I interviewed to work at when I was a teenager. They turned me down because I didn’t have waiting experience. I was 18 and eager to work but wasn’t the right fit for their restaurant. I ended up leaving that interview and getting a call a few days later from my good friend. Her mom wanted to interview me for a data entry position. Her mom “D” knew that I wasn’t always available to hang out because her daughter would make the comment I was busy working. She didn’t know much more about me than that. D had a position open and needed it filled. It was end of the qtr and she needed someone to enter some information for their reporting. I was hired and learned 10 key, trial by fire. In fact, I didn’t know how to type or send an email but I was willing to learn. I was willing to learn to wait tables too, but they were not willing to train me. However, someone was… And from that entry level position I helped other people in the office and eventually worked as an account manager. That was my start in the corporate world and I essentially never left. I’m so thankful for that missed opportunity. Today when I drive by that restaurant, it is empty. That business left and there hasn’t been a replacement for many years. If a restaurant or bar does open in that location, it doesn’t last very long.
I’m currently listening to the book “The Dip” and it speaks about knowing when to quit and when to stick it out. I know it’s time for a change and I’m working on do just that. The book has me thinking about the different times when I quit in my life or when I thought I missed out on something. Only to find exactly what I needed on the other side of “Loss”. If you’re in a place of what feels like a loss or missed opportunity, keep going. The next call or contact could be the opportunity that you really need.