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Articles: My Thoughts | Chance favors the prepared mind
- Miss Anveshitha Anveshitha
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Hi
Got this article on a site thought of sharing with you.
I first appreciated the quote in a Steven Segal movie, Under Siege II -- the one where a terrorist, believing that because 'chance favors the prepared mind,' was ready to rule the world! Of course, his evil plan was foiled by our hero who, luckily, had a 'more prepared' mind.
Sometime later I discovered that the complete quotation was originally, 'In the field of observation, chance favors the prepared mind,' by Louis Pasteur. We understand now what he wanted to say, and how, by believing this, he made a major impact on the future of human existence.
For regular people like us, whose lifetimes may not experience Segal's type of heroism, or Pasteur's type of contribution to the human race, 'chance favors the prepared mind' would have a more day-to-day connotation.
I think one relevant layman's language translation of this quote is a phrase from the lyrics of a song by Rod Stewart, 'Some guys have all the luck.'
When you think about it, what is luck? Winning the lottery? Living a relatively prosperous life? Being in the right place at the right time? Chance -- right?
But will you win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket? Will you have a prosperous life if you don't work hard and make difficult decisions? Will you be in the right place at the right time if you don't put yourself there?
Life is a string of unending opportunities. Every single moment, wherever we are, we are surrounded with opportunities to lend a hand, make our mark, and find happiness. What separates the lucky ones from the not-so-lucky ones is how each of us takes advantage of an opportunity -- and the difference lies not only in our capability to recognize the opportunity, but also in how prepared we are to act on it.
Pasteur may have just been talking about scientific research and peering into a microscope when he said, 'In the field of observation...' But from a broader perspective, he may well have also been referring to bird watching, gardening, raising kids, building a career, and running a business. Life itself is a whole 'field of observation.'
So, how do we recognize opportunities? It's not as easy as it seems because many of them are disguised as problems; and only the genuine positive thinkers are convinced that 'there are no problems, just opportunities.' Which is why, most of the time, the optimists and open-minded individuals are the ones who end up saying they were 'in the right place at the right time.'
Is that all? No. Knowing what to do while being in the right place at the right time is the second half of the 'luck' formula. Being prepared to take action -- to wrestle with challenges, endure hardship, and take full responsibility -- is key in having a 'prepared mind.' So is being ready, willing, and able to squeeze lemonade from a lemon.
'In the field of observation, chance favors the prepared mind' -- are you a prepared mind?
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