Get Ahead During The Time Others Waste - By John L. Mason

Don't be a person who says, "Ready! Aim, aim, aim, aim." As fast as each opportunity presents itself, use it! No matter how small the opportunity may be, use it! Do the thing you need to do when it ought to be done whether you like it or not. "He who hesitates misses the green light, gets bumped in the rear, and loses his parking space" (Herbert Prochnow).

One of the deceptions of an unproductive life is that today is not the critical, important, decisive day. Every day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbons, tear into the wrapping, open it up. Write on your heart every day that it is the best day of the year.

By the time the fool had learned to play the game, the players have dispersed, and the rules have changed. Don't find yourself striking when the iron is cold. Instead, scratch opportunity where it itches. Life is made of constant calls to action.

You never know what you can do until you try. Remember, the moment you say, "I give up," someone else is seeing the same situation and saying, "My, what a great opportunity." The fact is that no opportunity is ever lost; someone else picks up those you missed. A secret of success in life is to be ready for the opportunity when it comes. Ability is nothing apart from opportunity.

Time flies. It's up to you to be the pilot. It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time others waste. A secret of success is to do something else in the meantime. Make quick use of the moment.

It is later than you think. Be ready now. God's alarm clock has no snooze button. It doesn't do any good to "stand up and take notice" if you sit down as soon as opportunity comes by. Look at it, size it up, make a decision. You postpone your life when you can't make up your mind.

"If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done... Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow - perhaps it all will" (Eccl. 11:4,6 TLB).

- John Mason, from the book Let Go of Whatever Makes You Stop (Want a free book? Go to www.freshword.com/resources)

John Mason is a national best-selling author, nationally recognized speaker and book coach. You can visit his site at http://www.freshword.com/signup to receive this nugget and ones just like it in your email inbox every week. Very inspiring!