Missing The Shots You Don't Take

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky

As a hockey player, Gretzky knew that not taking a shot on net wouldn't help his team score the goals it needed to win games. Gretzky found different ways to create opportunities in front of the net with this motto and is one of the many reasons he is a legend in the hockey world.

Even if you have never laced up a pair of skates or never play the game of hockey, this motto can be used in your own life.

When searching for a job, you won't make any progress if you don't take the time to send your resume out, network, or meet others. A prospective employer will never consider you for a position if you never take the time to send in your resume to him or her. A networking contact will never meet with you if you never take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Taking the opportunity that is in front of you can lead to bigger dividends later on.

On a personal level, one example where I took the opportunity in front of me occurred over a year ago when Terry Pluto, the famed Cleveland sportswriter, was writing a book about the Cleveland Browns. I have been a Browns fan my entire life and saw Pluto was interested in having fans submit stories to possibly be used in the book.

At this point, I could have taken that attitude that the chances of my story getting used were too small and why bother putting the time into it. Instead, I figured that taking the small chance I had was better then not taking the shot at all. After taking several minutes to write what I wanted, I submitted in the story.

Months later, I received an e-mail from Pluto informing me my story was used. The chances of him using it originally may have been small, however, taking that shot paid off in the end.

When you have an opportunity in front of you, realize that the shot you don't take will not get you the result you want in the end.