Mariami Bibilouri is incredibly passionate about building not only a brand but the soundtrack that goes with that brand. When asked about the inspiration behind her music, she smiles and says, “My life experiences are all weaved into the fabric of my sound and lens through which I see the world. I’ve just had so much drive and such a clear vision for what I wanted my life to look like.
Opportunity. We all love that word. It is a word that inspires hope, as well as something we can wish upon to make our lives better. It is a single event that will smash into us, enlighten us, and take us away on its fluffy-feathered wings where we will live happily ever after. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most of us. You can make your own opportunities by identifying and pursuing a niche that is either underserved or an emerging trend says Mariami. Once you recognize a need, look at it objectively from all angles and get creative about how you could serve that need. This strategy applies to both entrepreneurs and those in the job market. You may have an idea about how to do something better, faster, cheaper or at a higher quality. You may have a new service idea.
Real opportunities are like the salespeople that knock on our door or call us while we eat dinner at night. We don’t want to open the door because we are irritated, we think we know how it is going to pan out, or we are too scared to say ‘no’ when they ask us a question.
Real opportunities are the ones that we don’t immediately see. They come by at the most unexpected, mostly inopportune, times. We are so obsessed with other distractions or our own opinions that we normally miss the majority of opportunity that falls across our path. If you stay where it’s always cozy and nice, you’ve got no chance to grow! By stepping outside of your comfort zone you’re giving yourself the chance to meet new people and land in new situations.
Take more risks
Opportunities and risk-taking often go together. And the best ones are often the riskiest. Someone starting up a new business is not only taking a risk, but also taking advantage of an opportunity.
Think back to a time when you were sitting on a couch watching television. How many opportunities came your way? Watching TV is low risk and offers few opportunities. Sometimes, you have to jumpstart those opportunities with a risk or two.
Imagine opportunities everywhere you look
Lucky people know that opportunity is always present. Look for ideas and trends that match your interests and your skill set. Bend and twist those ideas to make them uniquely yours. Develop a habit of looking at everything to see how you might improve it—how you’ll make it more fun, faster, cooler, friendlier, easier, quieter, more musical, lighter, more romantic, more exciting, more inviting, more anything. Choose the opportunities that benefit other people and they will support your offer to take advantage of an opportunity.
Question Everything
Opportunities don’t just suddenly appear in front of our eyes like the genie in Aladdin’s Lamp. Many times opportunities actually come to us in very covert ways — slipping right under the radar. In such instances, it’s not about taking advantage of the opportunity but rather about “opportunity creation”. And that’s of course where questions come into the picture. Asking questions that challenge you to think outside the box in creative ways stretches your imagination and encourages you to see things a little differently. Curiosity then becomes the driving force that helps you spot hidden opportunities in any situation.