"Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them."~Orison Swett Marden~If an opportunity for a promotion or a new business client presented itself to you today, how would you determine if that opportunity is aligned with the rhythm of your life? Matthew Kelly writes in Rhythm of Life, "Discovering the wisdom of life is [having the] wisdom to harness the strength of our better nature by working with it. Kelly asserts, "Nature whispers great messages to us each and every day. Great things are achieved little by little. Discover the rhythm of your life and align your life with that rhythm. The more you do, the more you will enjoy peace and prosperity."According to Kelly, "There are three instruments which produce the harmony that produces the rhythm of life...they are regular sleep, regular prayer and meditation and honoring the seventh day as a day of rest, reflection and renewal." He attests, "These instruments increase our effectiveness in our work, makes us more present in our relationships, empowers us with a spiritual presence and focus all of which gives birth to the deep and abiding peace and inexpressible joy and satisfaction, a sense of fulfillment that burns within us, igniting an excitement and passion for life."Who Are You Becoming?Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more. At the end of the day and our life, who we become as a result of the opportunities that we have seized and created, is infinitely more important than what we have. It is the person that we are becoming on a daily basis that is determining the quality of our relationship with ourselves and others, the loyalty that we demonstrate to our commitments and how much we express the fullness of the light that is within us to helping and building up others.So when opportunity comes knocking at our door, it's important that we weigh it against who we will become as a result of taking it on. Every opportunity that seems to come in our life will not necessarily support the rhythm of our life.Kelly proposes that answering the following questions when opportunity knocks helps us determine if in fact it is aligned with harnessing the strength of our best self.Will this opportunity help me change, develop and grow?Will I become a better person through the pursuit of this opportunity?Will this opportunity help me fulfill my legitimate needs?If I accept this opportunity, will I be following my star? (that which sparks our passion and sense of purpose in life)Each area of our life needs a vision of purpose that helps us to monitor the decisions that we make in creating and seizing opportunities in life. When opportunity knocks, the vision that we have in a particular aspect of our life will serve as a map and help us to chart a course that moves us forward. The four questions above will help you to stay true to the rhythm of your life and equip you to make better decisions when opportunities knock.https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140728173732-61210534-4-questions-to-ask-yourself-when-opportunity-knocks?trk=nus-cha-roll-art-title
