Stop Waiting to Be Discovered: Create Your Own Opportunities
Opportunities rarely arrive by accident. Choose a path, take a step, and create the opportunities you're seeking.
For years, I believed opportunities were something that happened to people.
Someone would discover my book.
Someone would invite me to speak.
Someone would ask me to be on a podcast.
Someone would notice me.
Then I learned a powerful lesson.
Most opportunities don't arrive because someone magically discovers us.
They happen because we're willing to step outside our comfort zone and take action.
Step Outside the Box
A few years ago, I created and taught a class for women at church called Out of the Box.
Some of the women were new Christians. Some were hesitant to do anything outside the church walls. One was still so new to her faith that she was, as we say, wet behind the ears.
I wanted to show them that faith wasn't something we simply believed. Faith was something we lived.
So, for twelve weeks, we explored different ministries and opportunities to serve.
We collected money in baby bottles for a pregnancy crisis center.
We made cards for prisoners to send to their loved ones.
We raised money for basic necessities like soap and food.
We supported CASA advocates who represent children in foster care.
We cleaned up an elderly couple's yard after a storm.
And much more.
Week after week, we stepped outside our comfort zones and discovered ministries that were already making a difference all around us.
But the greatest blessing wasn't what happened during those twelve weeks.
It was what happened afterward.
Every single woman found a place to serve.
Every one of them discovered a passion, a ministry, or a cause that mattered deeply to them.
I can't wait to get to Heaven and hear the stories of lives that were changed because a group of ordinary women were willing to step outside the four walls of the church and into the opportunities God placed before them.
Had we stayed comfortable, we would have missed all of it.
Prepare While You're Waiting
Creating opportunities doesn't mean sitting around hoping something happens.
It means preparing yourself when the opportunity arrives.
Years before I joined the National Speakers Association Academy, I joined Toastmasters.
I wasn't looking for a group filled with professional speakers.
I was looking for a group that fit my schedule.
As it turned out, their meetings were held at the workplace of a group of engineers and rocket scientists.
For quite a while, I was the only woman in the room.
To say I felt out of place would be an understatement.
They spoke about technology, engineering, and highly technical subjects.
I spoke about relationships.
At first, it was intimidating.
I wondered if I belonged there at all.
But over time, something interesting happened.
I learned from them.
They learned from me.
We each brought different experiences and perspectives to the room.
Looking back, I'm grateful I didn't wait until I felt perfectly qualified before I joined.
If I had, I would have missed years of growth, friendships, speaking experience, and valuable feedback.
Opportunities don't always show up after you're ready.
Sometimes opportunities are what make you ready.
That's true for writers groups.
It's true for conferences.
It's true for speaking organizations.
And it's true for many of the opportunities God places in our path.
Don't wait until you feel like the smartest person in the room.
Find a seat at the table and start learning.
Sometimes the Answer Isn't No
There's another lesson I've learned about opportunities.
Sometimes the answer isn't no.
It's simply not yet.
Years ago, I attended a writers conference where I met Tamara Clymer, founder of CrossRiver Media.
We became friends, but we never discussed me working for her.
Not once.
The opportunity wasn't there yet.
The following year, I attended the conference again.
Somewhere between courage and complete lack of good judgment, I blurted out that I would love to work with her in some capacity.
I am a fairly bold person, but even I thought that was a little bold.
Thankfully, God had other plans.
What felt like an awkward moment of stepping out in faith became a turning point in my career.
Tamara eventually offered me the opportunity to work with CrossRiver Media.
Today, I have spent years serving authors, building relationships, and growing in an industry I love.
That single conversation changed the trajectory of my writing career.
Had I stayed quiet, I would have missed the opportunity.
Had I assumed the answer was no, I never would have asked.
Sometimes we interpret silence as rejection.
Sometimes we interpret delay as failure.
But often, God is simply preparing the timing.
The first meeting may plant the seed.
The second meeting may open the door.
The opportunity may not be no.
It may simply be not yet.
Yay God!
Create Opportunities Instead of Waiting for Them
The same principle applies to authors.
You can stay inside your four walls.
You can stay inside your box.
Or you can step forward.
You can:
Attend the conference.
Join the writers group.
Find a critique group.
Learn the craft of writing.
Take classes on editing and marketing.
Join Toastmasters or another speaking organization.
Create a website.
Start a blog.
Pitch a podcast.
Apply to speak.
Introduce yourself.
Ask the question.
Follow up.
Will every opportunity work out?
No.
Will every pitch be accepted?
No.
Will every door open?
No.
But some will.
And those opportunities can change everything.
The authors who create opportunities are rarely the most talented people in the room.
They're often the people willing to take action.
Ask. Seek. Knock.
One of my favorite verses is Matthew 7:7:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Notice the action words.
Ask.
Seek.
Knock.
None of them involve sitting still.
All of them require movement.
Sometimes God opens doors.
Sometimes He redirects us.
Sometimes He asks us to wait.
But we're still called to move forward in faith.
Your Next Waypoint
Looking back, some of the most important opportunities in my career came from one simple decision:
I showed up.
I asked.
I learned.
I followed up.
I stayed visible.
The opportunities didn't find me.
I found them.
And sometimes, when I was willing to step out in faith, God opened doors I never could have opened myself.
Related Compass Stops
How Authors Can Find Speaking Opportunities Using Their Books
How to Network Without Feeling Pushy or Awkward
Why Every Author Needs a Professional Bio Before They Think They Do
Question for You
What opportunity have you been waiting for that might require you to take the first step?
Related Resource
Need a clearer next step for your author journey? Explore DeeDee Lake’s Author Resources for practical tools, encouragement, and guidance for the business side of writing.
Explore Author Resources:https://deedeelake.com/author-resources
