what do you do when opportunity isn’t knocking?

what do you do when opportunity isn’t knocking?

For many, a lack of opportunity becomes a convenient excuse to quit, but let me tell you quitting is the only guarantee of failure.

I’ve faced this dilemma head-on with my podcast, and I’ve made a rule:

no more than 10 days without an episode, guest or not.

The reality is, if I allow myself to stop just because I don’t have a guest, it’s much harder to start again.

The habit is broken, and rebuilding that momentum can feel like pushing a boulder uphill.

The Excuse Trap: Why We Let Obstacles Stop Us

It’s easy to use a lack of opportunity as a reason to pause or quit.

Whether it’s not finding a guest for a podcast, not getting a job interview, or facing rejection after rejection.

It can feel like the world is telling us to stop.

But that’s exactly when we need to push harder.

When I didn’t have a guest, I still recorded. Why? Because if I stop, the habit is broken, and as we know, starting again is often the hardest part.

Every time I pushed through, the momentum keeps going and that’s what we need to remember:

Consistency over perfection.

Famous Examples of Perseverance

Let’s talk about some famous stories of people who kept pushing despite a lack of opportunity:

• J.K. Rowling: Rejected by 12 publishers before finally landing a deal for Harry Potter, you know that MASSIVE global success.
• Walt Disney: Fired from a newspaper for “lacking creativity,”. Disney went on to build an empire that everyone in the world knows, no matter what age.
• Sylvester Stallone: Rejected over 1,500 times for his Rocky script before finally getting a yes.

These people didn’t let the absence of opportunity or set back stop them.

They kept pushing, even when it seemed like nothing was happening.

The key? They didn’t break their habits.

Building Consistency When Opportunity Isn’t There

So, how do you keep going when opportunity seems scarce?

Here are some tips that have helped me and can help you too:

1. Create Non-Negotiable Rules: Like my 10-day podcast rule, set non-negotiable boundaries for your goals. Don’t allow external circumstances to dictate your progress. If no one accepts your invite, find a way to keep moving forward anyway.
2. Be Proactive, Not Reactive: for me this is a big one! If you wait for opportunity to come to you, you’ll be waiting a long time. Be relentless in reaching out, creating content, or working on your craft. Sometimes, you have to knock down the door yourself.
3. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Results: It’s easy to get discouraged when you’re not seeing big wins. But progress is progress. Every using myself as an example, each episode I record, guest or not, is another step forward. Find joy in the journey, not just the destination.

The Pain of Stopping

Habits are powerful, and once broken, it’s hard to get them back.

Think about anything you’ve stopped doing, like working out or eating healthy.

Isn’t it so much harder to pick it back up?

Consistency is what builds success, and breaking that consistency only sets us back further.

Exclusive Offers:

As a token of our appreciation for being part of our community, enjoy an exclusive ‘£20 OFF’ offer for Built Strong Online Coaching. This is a fantastic service that I use myself, with some of the best and highly qualified coaches in the sector. Click the link HERE to get £20 off your first month, use the Code “JACK20” to get this great deal! Because creating life-changing habits deserves to be rewarded!

I have teamed up with the amazing Viribus Strength. Supplier of premium backpacks for active lifestyles, recovery tools and premium apparel. They are the best of the best,  use the products daily! use ‘AVERAGEJACK’ for 20% their amazing gear.

Check them out HERE

Your Call to Action

No Opportunity is Not an Excuse

A lack of opportunity isn’t a valid excuse. In fact, it’s a reason to get creative, to push harder, and to prove to yourself that you can keep going,

even when the circumstances aren’t ideal. If you can do that, you’ve already won.

Don’t let the absence of opportunity be the reason you stop.

Whether you’re trying to build a business, launch a podcast, or achieve a personal goal, keep moving.

If you need some inspiration or a kickstart, check out my podcast where I dive deep into these kinds of challenges,

Or grab a copy of my book to help guide you through.

Stay consistent, stay determined, and I promise—you’ll get there.

Jack

@Jmckiernanbooks

Loved this and want to see more? Check out more of my content below!

‍