Above The Line Article:
Where Preparation Meets Opportunity
By Erik Carlson
Have you ever heard somebody attribute their success to ‘being lucky’? We ask them “how’d you do it?” Then they respond “I got a little lucky.” Sure that sound humble, but I have a theory about ‘being lucky’.
I was speaking in a school assembly to all the High school and Jr. High students at Arlecaq School in Akiak Alaska, a small fishing village just off the Kuskoquim river about 400 miles west of Anchorage. We could only get their by a 4 seat prop plane because the river was still frozen solid. Earlier that day I got to know a 14 year old boy named Walker. He spends his summers in a whaling village in Northwest Alaska, and when he was 10 years old, he harpooned a 50 foot Bow whale. I was blown away. So I found myself compelled to interview him in the middle of the assembly in front of his peers. By the way, his father says he may be the youngest to ever harpoon a whale in that village.
During my talk, I was in the middle of a thought when I surprised myself (and Walker), and started asking him questions about his successful harpooning of a huge whale.
“Did you dream of harpooning a whale, or did you just show up one day and snag one... ‘whoa…what’s this?...I just harpooned a whale!’” He replied “oh yes, I dreamed about it alright.”
“Did you practice, or did you just show up and have perfect form? (I awkwardly displayed what it would look like if a ‘hack’ like myself tried to throw a harpoon). “I practiced” he answered.
“Did you aim, or did you just toss the harpoon in the air willy nilly and hope it hits the target?” (here I mimicked throwing it behind my back w/ my eyes closed). “I aimed” he said.
“Was the opportunity there every day, so there was no pressure? Or did your uncle, who was captain of the boat, graciously give you a chance, but if you missed, there were seven other boats behind you with hungry harpooners ready to strike?” He responded that it was possibly a once in a lifetime chance. 4 years later he has not even been offered another chance at a throw. It was his one and only opportunity.
Lastly, I asked “Did you walk away after the harpoon hit, or did you fight to pull in the whale?” He explained that it took 7 boats to pull in the whale after his harpoon hit.
What a beautiful lesson. As you can tell, I was having fun with Walker, and my questions were loaded. But my point was clear. We all have dreams. One day, our opportunity just might fall on our lap. If we haven’t prepared properly, I mean prepared like we were already a pro (so win or lose, we would know we gave it our 100% best), our chance will come, and we might miss it. We either won’t have the confidence, so we might not even try; or we will give a feeble attempt in light of our full potential.
Some may say Walker got lucky. The word ‘lucky’ sound like we have no part in the equation. Sure he was blessed, but I believe his opportunity was met w/ sufficient preparation which created the ‘luck’. He was only 10 years old, but try to remember back when you were 10. All he thought about every day was harpooning the big whale. Let’s become 10 again, and dream our dreams like they are all that we can see. Play it out in your mind 1000 times, then fight like crazy get ready. Your day will come upon you when you least expect it, so expect it!
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