| (This is part one of a five-part series focusing on | | | | like to read and love to spend the majority of your |
| finding opportunities and creating ideas in this hectic, | | | | time doing. Many go looking outside themselves for |
| high tech modern age. The first four parts of this | | | | answers when everything they need is within. |
| series focus on spotting opportunities and the last | | | | Having a true passionate interest is the highest form |
| part concentrates on effective ways to come up | | | | of specialized knowledge and specialization is the |
| with solid ideas.) | | | | order of the day in the Information Age. You may |
| Introduction | | | | think of it as just a hobby, but the key to a new |
| In order to create opportunities in the 21st century | | | | level of experience, satisfaction and abundant living |
| the first requirement one needs is the ability to deal | | | | may be waiting for you. |
| with change. In order to create winning ideas and find | | | | One of the most powerful weapons to have in your |
| opportunity in any field - you must be an | | | | opportunity/idea discovering arsenal is the passion for |
| action-oriented observer of this change. | | | | self-education. High schools and university only go so |
| In the hectic pace of life today with satellite TV, the | | | | far - self-education is one of the foundations for true |
| Internet, cell phones, PDAs and laptop computers - | | | | and lasting success. The majority of successful |
| everything happens with ever-increasing rapidity. This | | | | people attribute the love of life-long learning as a key |
| quick, constant change has invaded our work life as | | | | factor to their achievements. |
| well. | | | | Learning doesn't stop when school ends and that's a |
| The days of finding a job with a giant corporation | | | | dangerous assumption to make when it comes to |
| and making a career until you retire 30-40 years later | | | | forging a successful life. You must continue learning |
| are over. A thing of the past, just like the hula hoop, | | | | until life ends. Active learning and experience are the |
| sock hops and disco. The modern day worker will | | | | only ways to grow and adapt. |
| change jobs/careers at an astounding rate of nine or | | | | Be an active learner. Read and read a lot. Not just |
| ten times in a working life. | | | | what you're passionate about. Grab the newspaper |
| Security at one place for an entire career is over. But | | | | and look for stories that may contain ideas and |
| it's not all doom and gloom. Starting your own | | | | opportunities. Believe me, they won't be on the front |
| business is easier and filled with more opportunities | | | | page, that's where the sensational stuff is and all that |
| then any in history. Thanks to the Internet - the | | | | does is sell papers. Go to the inside, where the real |
| price to play the self-employment game has gotten a | | | | knowledge is buried. |
| lot cheaper as well. | | | | Read books. And yes, I mean non-fiction and |
| Domain name registration and hosting are more | | | | biography. I guarantee that gold can be found in their |
| affordable then ever and individuals who can spot | | | | pages if you just look for it. Study, develop your |
| trends, create ideas and notice opportunities can | | | | specialized education and look to your interests and |
| literally be up and running their own business within | | | | hobbies for inspiration, ideas and opportunities. |
| hours or days, depending on the complexity of their | | | | Don't forget, ideas come after long hours of careful |
| idea. People that spot trends, create ideas and notice | | | | thought and study. And from those ideas come |
| opportunities can name their price to the world and | | | | opportunities. Be patient waiting for your ideas. There |
| the world will pay it. | | | | is no such thing as a completely formed and perfect |
| As you can see, the ability to do this is more | | | | idea. Rarely, if ever, do ideas come in a flash of |
| important than ever. Finding these opportunities is a | | | | inspiration. Ideas come a little a time, in bits and |
| skill, but like any skill it can be learned and mastered. | | | | pieces. |
| Provided you know what the fundamentals are. | | | | Opportunity arrives because of ideas and as such, |
| There are four major concepts one must use to | | | | behave the same as ideas. Here a little, there a little. |
| become a world-class opportunity finder. The rest of | | | | Patient study and observation are the watchwords |
| this article will focus on the first concept. | | | | of an idea maker and opportunity chaser. In time, if |
| The First Concept for Finding Opportunities | | | | you persist, your hard work will be rewarded. |
| The first principle for finding opportunities in a world | | | | Look inward. This is the first step on the path to |
| of constant change is - look to your own interests, | | | | creating innovative ideas and finding rock-solid |
| beliefs and education. | | | | opportunities in a constant and never-ending sea of |
| The first place to start finding opportunities is within | | | | change. |
| you. Opportunities abound in your hobbies, what you | | | | |