Are you missing the obvious? Is there a low-hanging-fruit opportunity right in front of your eyes, but you just haven’t seen it yet?
Allow me to share with you a shocking and true story that I hope inspires you to see what you have been missing in your own life and business.
The Ritz Paris Hotel, famous for its bar, pool and Coco Chanel’s long term residence, recently made a magical discovery. A beautiful painting by Le Brun, former painter to the King Louis XIV (also known as one of the greatest French painters of all time), has been on display, unnamed and unnoticed in one of the hotel’s rooms….for decades.
How can this be so? For decades, no one had a clue about the significance and value of this famous French artist’s painting.
There it was. No one noticed it.
Something so obvious, and no one paid the least bit of attention.
Sometimes in our careers and personal lives, we might be overlooking what is right in front of us. Opportunities right there for the taking.
Here are some clues to what you may be overlooking:
1. What do people ask you for? And do more of that!
My friend Meredith was constantly being asked for tips on branding. She quickly realized this is her sweet spot—where her skills, gifts and talents intersect with a strong need in the marketplace.
2. What comes naturally to you?
Often, we overlook the very thing that is easy and effortless. What you may deem as no big deal or anyone can do it, is not true! It may just be the thing people are willing to pay you for. Make a list of what you do really well. How might you combine some of your offerings together to create a “super-offer”?
3. What is “right” in front of you?
One of my business start up clients was undecided about which of 2 different niches to to focus on. In our coaching conversation she revealed that the several new opportunities had been offered to her in the past week AND there was a common denominator. The opportunities were all related specifically to one of her niches. Ta-Da! Problem solved. Her niche has been calling her. She took action immediately and is seeing the fruits of this opportunity.
4. What steady money opportunities do you have?
Is there an income stream lying in a stack of folders by your desk? Sometimes “less sexy” work projects can give us the income boost we want. Another one of my clients had this going on in her world. After uncovering this money opportunity in our coaching conversation, she decided to devote a three hours every week to this project. This regular work project paid her a nice sum each month. With the stability of this additional income, she reduced her stress levels, boosted her confidence and got super-focused on increasing profitability streams in other parts of her business. Win-win.
So which of these “low-hanging-fruit” strategies speaks to you? I challenge you to sharpen your perspective. What “masterpiece” is hanging right in front of you? Open up your eyes, and see what life is showing you, right here, right now!