A Story of Chance and Opportunity

A story about taking a chance and seeking opportunities for a better life, but not taking the opportunities because they look different than expected.

Dear Spirited Earthling,

This post explores chance and opportunity: how we crave it, how we imagine it, and how we ignore it. The story of Meeting Chance comes from Greek folklore and is presented in Episode 252 of the Myths and Legends podcast (a firm favourite of mine). Let’s get into the story of Meeting Chance and the opportunities she brings.

Choosing to Change for a Better Life

One day a man woke up from the life he was fed up with, in the home he didn’t love, as the person he didn’t want to be. No matter what he tried, he failed. No matter how much he dedicated himself to something, nothing came of it. So that morning he decided to seek Chance. He wanted a change for a better life.

Seeking Chance to Ask for a Better Life

The man came across a large body of water not long into his journey, and he stood at the water’s edge, annoyed. But then a fish swam to him and greeted the man. The man told the fish of his journey to seek Chance and ask her to change his lot in life. The fish made a deal with the man: the fish would take him across the water if he asked Chance why the fish had such back pain all the time. The man agreed.

The man waved goodbye to the fish and turned away from the water when he was suddenly ambushed by palace guards. Another setback in his never-ending story of setbacks. The man was taken to the palace, where he explained he was seeking Chance so that his life would change. The ruler was interested in this journey and said the man was free to go if he would ask Chance why the kingdom always lost in battle. The man agreed.

Along the way, the man meets a farmer who is struggling with his harvests. To smooth things over with the farmer (after questioning why a farmer who cannot bring his crops to harvest, is in fact a farmer) the man tells the farmer of his journey to seek Chance and offers to ask Chance for farming advice. The men agreed.

Meeting Chance and Asking for Opportunities

The man reaches Chance’s cabin, and she opens the door to him before he could knock, as though she knew he was coming. The man tells Chance of his sad life. Chance says that over the next days, she will send the man three opportunities to make something of himself – to become successful, important, and rich. As with all opportunities, the man can decide which of them to take. The man thanked Chance and remembered his promises to the fish, the ruler, and the farmer. After hearing how he could help the others, the man left the cabin and headed back the way he had come, filled with anticipation and appreciation.  

Losing Chances and Opportunities

To the farmer, the man told of extraordinary treasures under the soil. The farmer planted the crops, but their roots couldn’t get deep enough because of all the hidden treasures. The astonished farmer offered to share his riches with the man if he helped dig up the treasure, to say thank you for this life-changing news. The man politely declines and explains that he needs to get home because Chance is going to send him three great opportunities. The farmer and the man part ways.

To the ruler, the man said the battle losses were because she needed a partner to rule. The partner can focus on battles while she focuses on ruling. To say thank you for this history-changing news, the ruler offered the man a partnership, where he would share her importance and power. The man is thankful for the offer but declines because he needs to get home so that he can accept the amazing things Chance is sending his way. The ruler and the man part ways.

To the fish, the man removes a thorn from the fish’s back. Now relieved of pain, the fish offered to dive to an underwater city and bring up the treasures and marvellous inventions that the man could use as his own. The man politely declines and explains that he is rushing home because he is expecting great things promised to him by Chance. The fish and the man part ways.

The man arrived home and prepared himself to accept the opportunities Chance would send. He waited for hours, days, months, years, and decades – determined he wouldn’t miss out on what Chance would send.

Ignoring the Unexpected in Anticipation of Something Expected

This story is a simple telling of how so many people live their lives. As you sit and read or listen to the story, you know that the man could have become rich by helping the farmer, gained importance by co-ruling a kingdom, and found success with the inventions from a lost city. But the man was so focused on how he thought Chance would send the opportunities, on how the opportunities would be presented to him, on what the opportunities would be – that he didn’t take any of them.

“How much I missed, simply because I was afraid of missing it.” ~ Paulo Coelho, Brida

Sometimes the quest of one thing can lead you on paths to other things, that bring you even more prosperity than you imagined. Ultimately, the story reminds us to be prepared to work for your riches, to do things where you may feel out of your depth at first to become important, and to realise that success can come from unlikely sources.

“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” ~ Bobby Unser  

You’re likely to know the phrase (or variations of it): Don’t stare at the closed door. The story of meeting Chance encourages you to stop staring at the closed door. This story also reminds you to flow with life and stop ignoring other ways to get in or out because you’re set on that one specific door opening for you.

“When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell

Your dreams may materialise differently from how you expected but never say no to them because the process is not how you wanted them to materialise. You may become successful on a fluke. Maybe you’ll meet people who bring value to your life in unexpected ways. Don’t lose out on opportunities because they look different than expected.

You don’t know what life will bring. And it’s not easy to know if your decisions are the ‘right’ ones without hindsight. So let go of that perceived control, and surrender to life. Know what you want out of life, but don’t plan it so well that you can’t enjoy your ride because you’re driving in a different coloured car or only living in the house next door to your ‘dream home’ with the same architecture and view.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Seneca

Spirited Earthling isn't just a blog – it's a space where kindred spirits connect, drawn by the allure of self-discovery, the appeal of self-care, and the need for a deeper connection to the world around us. Crafted for curious minds and spiritual hearts seeking meaning in the mundane, this platform is a wellspring of tools and resources for infusing mindfulness and intentionality into every facet of life.

As you journey through these words and ideas, remember that inspiration thrives when shared. Consider gifting someone a ticket to their own transformative voyage by sharing this blog, or even just this post. By doing so, you're not just sharing knowledge – you could be igniting a spark of inspiration and possibility in another soul. Together, let's encourage a movement of mindful, spirited living. Because when we share, when we connect, and when we uplift, we paint the world with hues of positivity and growth.

Thank you for being part of this community.

Best wishes, warmest regards

Jordan

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For a comical telling of the story, listen to the Myths and Legends podcast episode here.

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Affirmation: I see opportunities for abundance in my life and I act on them.

Journal Prompt: Am I holding myself back in certain aspects of life? How can I get out of my own way to succeed?

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