In our previous post, we talked about how winners know how to recognize opportunities and have the sense of urgency needed to grab them before they’re gone.

Some opportunities such as a chance to expand your business into a new market due to population growth — or your boss recommending you for a promotion into upper management  — are easy to spot.

But what if you’re not sure where or how to find opportunities? If it seems like they are hiding or nonexistent, think again!

How To Find Hidden Opportunities

Take stock of where you are, and where you can grow. Sure, you might be hardworking and applying urgent excellence when it comes to certain aspects of your life, but where are you not applying these forces? Be honest, and see if filling in these gaps opens up a new arsenal of opportunities.  You may even ask others what you can improve to be poised for promotion.

Here are a few tips to increase the number of opportunities that “luckily” land in your life:

• Increase your social networking. No, not necessarily broadcast on Facebook but share your interests with others. Word of mouth can be a powerful tool when it comes to opportunities, and this is an instance where strategic partnerships, and the lost art of being nice, can come in handy. Build and establish relationships, especially in the fields or areas in which you want to excel.  Share your aspirations and see what resonates.

• Volunteer to take on a new project or support a cause you believe in. Volunteering has a lot of benefits. You gain experience, you make new connections and often, they lead to opportunities you never knew existed.

• Learn a new skill or try something new. Winners don’t get complacent — they never stop trying to better themselves, which is why they are prepared for opportunities when they arise. Learning a new skill in an area that interests you can lead to meeting people with like-minded interests, which can turn into opportunities.

• Don’t quit. Endurance is everything, and will keep you consistently in front of opportunities as they arise. Winners only got to where they are because they endured failures — and viewed them as learning opportunities.

Be Aware of Your Blind Spots

We can all have blind spots — we think we don’t have what it takes, or there are too many obstacles standing in our way, or we’re waiting for some outside influence to change things up. Don’t let blind spots prevent you from seeing opportunities.

“The hardest thing to see is what is in front of your eyes.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

When it comes to success, what looks like “luck” from the outside is simply a mix of opportunity and swift response.

Want to learn more about how to position yourself to be ready for new opportunities? In my book, WINolgoy – World Class Performance, I walk you through how to prepare and seize opportunities and much more!

Have you ever discovered a hidden opportunity? Let us know in the comments section below!