The Weight of Opportunity

A few weeks ago, there was rain in the forecast for Sunday. I felt relieved. If it had been a beautiful day outside, I would have felt pressured to enjoy the weather and make the most of the day.

It’s a little odd, but I feel like this sometimes. When I’m invited to two parties at the same time and have to decide which one to go to. When I’m traveling to a new city and have to figure out a plan. When I have many days of PTO left and don’t know how to use it.

All of these situations are “good”; I have optionality. But somehow having options rather than a fixed default feels stressful. The burden of making the right choice now lies on me. I have agency, and with that agency comes the ability to make the wrong choice and face regret. Even if I make the right choice, I’m sometimes left wondering the path not taken.

The courage to act

You don’t need more information; you need more courage.

I saw this on Twitter some time ago and it resonated with me. I feel like I’m always gathering information, debating about whether or not to do something, and then eventually deciding not to do it - often not taking an opportunity.

When faced with opportunity, the easy thing to do is to sit in the armchair and justify your inaction. The funny thing about language is that you can string words together that convince yourself and seemingly everyone around you that you’re making the right decision.

But having courage to make the leap is important. It gets you out of your comfort zone and allows you to explore more of your state space. Maybe intellect is overrated, and what really matters is confidence, decisiveness, and bravery.

I think about this when I reflect on the opportunities that lie in front of me. My parents have worked so hard to give me a life with a cornucopia of opportunities. Stepping further back, I’ve been given the chance to even walk this Earth, the greatest opportunity there is.

Opportunity is everywhere. On rainy days, even when I think I’m relieved of it, the weight is always there. And making the most of that opportunity is hard; it’s why I admire courage in people so much. I’m trying to be better at bringing this into my own life.