My life has been one that has been full of more curveballs than I could ever predict. Whether it was what sports I ended up playing or the high school and college I ended up attending, and everything in between. I'm beyond blessed to be where I am today, and I accredit a significant portion of my position today because of embracing the sudden opportunities that arose. I'm here to tell you why you should too.
Going into my second semester of senior year of high school, I thought my life was going to the complete opposite of what it is now. I intended on going to a large southern state school, and was going to be a single guy wanting to let loose. Now I go to a private Catholic university and am in the best relationship I could ever imagine, and am more happy than I ever fathomed. I took the hand that I was given and chose what I ultimately thought was going to the best for me, and it's safe to say that they were some of the best decisions of my life. They were the complete opposite on what I had been planning for years, but I decided to roll with whatever cards I was dealt.
That's what I believe modern society today lacks. Many are unable to adapt to change, or even change what they have for the future. If you plan your entire life on the basis of attempting for it to result in one insanely specific scenario, I guarentee you'll miss out on a hell of a lot of opportunities. I hear so many different people wanting one thing and refusing any other path that arises as an alternate or better route.
When I was in high school, I knew that I was a decent writer. It was always one of my strong suits, if not my only one. I struggled finding opportunities to translate that into an idea for my future, so all I did was roll with it. I was given the opportunity to write for a small sports website called Prep Sport Report where I sharpened my writing skills and thought "okay, I can actually do something with this." That opened up the doorway of creativity in my mind, and I later discovered a passion for communications. Many will know that communications isn't strictly writing based, it uses it as the basis for many different outlets. I didn't take the opportunity because it was exactly what I wanted to do, but because I knew it would give me better direction.
I've always been pretty positive that I wasn't going to be a writer for my profession. I wanted to be a big city guy and wear fancy suits. I envisioned myself as a businessman more than anything. In all honesty, I never thought of myself as I took the opportunity that was presented, and had I not, I would not be on the path I am today.
This is the message I want to be taken away from this article: take the opportunity. Whatever presents itself, if it can improve your skill set and you can take positive lessons from it, its essential you take action. Just because something might not fit your perfect idea of how to reach your goals, every destination has hundreds of side roads.
Break out of your bubble. Take the opportunities. Don't plan your future as if you're writing a novel.
