Want More Opportunities? Prepare Like a Lifeguard

by David Hungarter 

Opportunities are funny and unpredictable.

Sometimes you see them from a great distance, like a spot on the horizon. Other times, they creep into your life slowly, when you least expect them. And sometimes they pour into your world like a flood. The flood probably sounds like the best scenario, and it is–if you’re prepared.

Ironically, preparing for opportunities usually creates them. It’s an investment in yourself and your role as a solution to a need in the world.

Lifeguards are a prime example of this.

Some people assume lifeguards are lazy. They sit in the sun, put on sunblock, and occasionally blow their whistles when the guys get too overzealous dunking the girls into the pool. This perception couldn’t be further from the truth, however. A lifeguard’s job begins not when the clock is punched at the start of a shift, but in training.

Here are three lessons from lifeguards that will help save your career.

1.  Lifeguards prepare and practice in anonymity before the big opportunity ever presents itself. They invest in the hero within by studying emergency situations and learning to realistically solve problems. They do this without knowing when, if ever, the opportunity will come to put these acquired skills to the test.

2.  While on the job, lifeguards stay in top physical condition and continue practicing their rescue skills. They don’t pass a test and assume their abilities are fully developed for good.They review what they’ve previously learned, and add new information to what they know, and run drills. Then when the situation calls for their help, they confidently spring into action because the needed action has already become second nature to them.

3.  Everyone wants to be the life-saving hero, and they can–if they prepare. Whether you want to be a writer, own a business, earn a scholarship, or shed those extra pounds, preparation ensures your role as the hero when the situation calls for one.

 

What will you do today to prepare for and help create your big break?         

       

David is a START Alum, participating in his second START experiment.  He is both a husband and father and is new to blogging with his website, www.lifeguardtrainingstand.com.  You can connect with David on Twitter, @DHungarter, or on Facebook, Dave Hungarter.