Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?

Clichés are clichés because more often than not they are true. ‘Opportunity doesn’t knock twice’ fits that bill. What are you doing to prepare for the chance to reach your goals? Are you nervous about big presentations or meeting with your boss or a key client? How do you respond to major deadlines or managing new people or projects?

Yo, his palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
But on the surface he looks calm and ready

Some appear ready on the outside and hide their anxiety, while others can’t disguise their nervousness at all. Lack of confidence can partially be attributed to not being ‘genuinely’ prepared. Putting the time in to prepare is not the same as actually preparing. Ask yourself what could happen in the meeting or presentation and how you would respond. If you are presenting to a group, your team, a client or your boss, practice for real—out loud and in front of a mirror or a loved one. Brainstorm with a trusted advisor about how to manage challenging subordinates. Don’t just fall back on the easy, standard preparation tactics.

You better lose yourself in the music
The moment you own it you better never let it go, oh

Be honest about your effort and approach. Do you truly make the commitment necessary? Or do you give ‘just enough’? Do you worry about how your performance compares with others? Or do you realize that your best is all that really matters because you can’t control anything else? Focus on you and maximize the opportunity.

You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
Cuz opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo

Be genuinely prepared and truly give it your best…

You can do anything you set your mind to, man

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David M. Mastovich, MBA, is the president of Massolutions, a Pittsburgh based Strategic Marketing firm that focuses on improving the bottom line for client companies through creative marketing, selling, messaging and customer experience enhancement.

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