“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

Have you ever built a fort or a playhouse out of a cardboard box?

Well, I have.

I have some pretty extensive cardboard construction experience from my own childhood and as I take part in the imaginary creations of my own kiddos. Anybody who has ever built a refrigerator box hideout will tell you that the secret to its success is in the door.

Cutting cardboard is hard work. It requires sketching the door with whatever pencil, marker, or crayon you can find. Then sneaking a steak knife from the kitchen or maybe Mom’s good scissors, and then you have to saw, hack, shred, and, without losing a finger or toe, trim out your new entrance. Of course the entrance never seems to follow the dried-out marker shape you sketched and maybe you got tired and your little sister had to finish cutting part of the door, and maybe, just maybe the handle accidentally came off Mom’s good scissors, so you took Dad’s pocketknife while he was napping. Whatever the series of events may have been, they all result in an opening of some sort.

Opportunity often comes from a series of not-quite-as-you-planned situations. The good part though is that at the end of that series you have a door. A way to welcome imaginary adventures and most likely a story that will go down in family folklore as legendary because you didn’t lose that finger or toe. (Mom may have tanned your hide for the scissors, but that is just a side commentary to your memorable narrative.)

While the tools to build something great in our lives are right in front of us, we usually can’t see them because there are too many other barriers in our sights. We can’t always see the potential we have to make an entrance to our next adventure.

Here’s today’s Intentergy tip: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

Those cardboard boxes in your basement aren’t going to transform themselves, just as those possibilities for progress at work, with your health, or in your relationships won’t construct new realities unless you make an opening in your outlook and forge your gateway to greatness.

Yes, some things may cave around you.

A few slices may cut a little deepen than intended.

You might get a little off track.

But, hopefully, when you have finally made your way around the framework of your future endeavor, you find that opening yourself up to that opportunity was worth it.

Don’t wait for that knock. It may not be coming.

Once you’ve put together a passageway, there’s nothing more to wait for. After all, its your door. You built it. Don’t let little things like an odd shape or a rough cut keep you from peering into the entry of your next experience. Take a step. Go on in. Opportunity is waiting.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. I am a proud professional, amateur cardboard carpenter. I carry no liability coverage on my cardboard structures. Build with me at your own risk. What could go wrong?

P.P.S. Special thanks to Brittany at Just Brittany Moments for sharing this quote in her post on September 16th. Brittany does a terrific job of opening doors to thoughtfulness and adventure in all her blog posts. https://justbrittanymoments.wordpress.com/2020/09/16/build-a-door/