Don’t wait or hesitate…seize the moment.

Life rarely provides opportunity to achieve something major in a single event. Nor does the window stay open indefinitely. Rather, life provides many opportunities to achieve small things, which have the potential to add up to big results over time. Unfortunately, too many people procrastinate or ignore the small opportunities and wait for the big ones, which often don’t come.

I am reminded of two teams of adventurers who set out to reach the South Pole for the first time in 1911. The team led by Roald Amundsen from Norway adhered to a regimen of consistent progress by travelling 15-20 miles per day regardless of weather conditions.

Robert Falcon Scott of England, who led the other team, would sometimes drive his team to exhaustion on good days and stay in their tents on stormy days.

Amundsen’s team not only arrived at the South Pole 34 days before Scott’s team, but made the return trip without loss of life in treacherous conditions. In contrast, Scott’s team perished on the journey home.

Great leaders seize the moment and optimize the opportunities presented them. They trust their gut and instincts using the power of net-positive momentum to keep moving forward.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.