Emily Opens Her Eyes to Sparkling Opportunities

There are opportunities everywhere, just as there have always been

                                                                                                              ~ Charles Fillmore

Emily loved her job.  She had worked in the organization for years.  In fact, she had never worked anywhere else and had no plans on leaving. She was very good at what she did and really owned the program she managed.  The only thing she could think of when she was told she was terminated last spring was what would happen to her program.  She did not want her hard work to be lost or her obligations to her customers to go unmet.

Emily had been terminated because of a change in business direction, along with several others in the company.  Shocked and stunned, she went home to digest the news. Like the others, she had no idea this was coming and no idea where to start looking for a new job. Thankfully for Emily, what seemed like the worst possible situation at the time turned out to be a sparkling, new opportunity for her - one she would learn was always present.

You are, at this moment, standing right in the middle of your own “acres of diamonds.”  ~Earl Nightingale

Today, Emily works for a new company and with people she has worked with for years!  In fact, her new opportunity had been right in front of her for years. As it turns out, one of her former vendors was more than happy to bring her on board shortly after she was terminated.  She was someone that they long thought would make a great fit for their organization. They were thrilled to finally add her to their team.  Emily worked with excellence with everyone she knew.  Her work ethic and performance communicated more about her than any resume could possibly convey.  By working with excellence, Emily was essentially creating her own opportunities, even if she was unaware of it.

It was Emily’s need that opened her eyes to her opportunities. For years, she had been missing out on making substantially more money with better benefits, including a company car!  The best part is that she is still in the field that she enjoys, doing the work that she loves.  The moral of her story – open your eyes to the opportunities that are everywhere!

If you are looking for a new job, what opportunities exist right in front of you that are you not seeing?  What areas of your life are you working with excellence and creating opportunities for yourself?  Identifying the people you interact with daily is a great place to start. Maybe opportunities exist in your current company with another department or business unit.  Or like Emily, maybe the people you interface with outside the organization represent opportunities.  What about those you socialize with or volunteer with?  Don’t forget to list members of professional organizations you belong to.

This week, take some time and list out the people you encounter daily.  Open your eyes to the opportunities that exist all around you!

Have a great week polishing the diamonds,