How many times have you come up with ideas working from home, do nothing about them, and then find out that the idea is being marketed? This has happened to me many times and I’m sure I’m not alone. It all comes down to seizing the opportunity and making life changing decisions. You will never succeed in anything if you keep procrastinating or taking too long to make a decision, losing it.
In the 1870s, two men were hard at work modifying and improving telegraphy at a time when they were working with a technology very different from today’s. Both men sought to transmit sound over a wire, and both explored transmitting the human voice electronically.
What is remarkable about this event is that both Alexandra Graham Bell and Elisha Gray presented their ideas to the patent office on the same day. On February 14, 1876, Gray filed a warning (statement of intent to apply for a patent) with the US Patent Office for a telephone design that used a water transmitter. That same morning, Bell’s attorney filed Bell’s application with the patent office. Bell was the first person to apply for a patent and it was the result of Elisha Gray wasting time on other things. At the time, those lost minutes cost Gray a fortune.
Why share this with you? This is a good example, not about someone wasting a lot of time, but more about someone seizing the moment. You really don’t want to miss the boat.
Another point to note is to work only on the things that matter and that make a difference. Don’t settle for a ‘B’ grade. Aspire to be successful in everything you do. This brings me to something else.
A professor stood in front of a class of 30 molecular biology seniors. Before handing out the final exam, he said, “You know what? I feel privileged to be your tutor this semester. I know how much you have prepared for this exam. Many of you will be entering medical school in the fall. How much There must be pressure to keep your grades up. Since I know you’re confident in knowing the material, I’m offering an automatic B for anyone who wants to get out of the final exam.”
The noise was audible. Many then got up, thanked the teacher and left. Since there were few left, the professor asked if there were more interested. Another one to the left.
The final exam was delivered and once it was opened, it consists of 2 sentences;
Congratulations, you just got an A in this class. Keep believing in yourself.
So, it’s about seizing the opportunity and believing in yourself to get to the next level. Would you have stood up? Stand up for something bigger, don’t come second. Believe in yourself and your abilities to succeed at something greater and for nothing less. Do what you have to do to get that A. Be that leader, show yourself, change your days and ways. It all starts with you.
We can all aspire to achieve better things. It can be a case of changing direction and doing something you’ve never done, but have always dreamed of. I’m helping people think positively about the future and how to best use their time. I believe that people can find an internal way to pursue an idea and a vision. We all have the ability to take control of our lives, but many just don’t know how to do it.
