The old saying goes “opportunities are all around us.” There are times when that statement is true for all of us, but the opportunities usually are not apparent.

Opportunities come in different ways. Some are easy to spot and gladly accepted (getting that promotion at work). But more often opportunities are obscure and usually difficult to perceive as providing benefit. If the old saying is true, how do you spot opportunities? I don’t have a magic bullet, but here are three actions that have helped me:

• Seek: Look around you. Observe what’s going on in your daily life. Pay attention to what’s happening and look for ways to turn small things into big opportunities. Seek out advice from mentors and friends who care about you.
• Accept: When you recognize an opportunity, say “yes” and accept that it can improve your life. Do your homework and make sure it’s something you want to do, but don’t get too caught up in the things you can’t predict.
• Act: When you accept a new opportunity as something that can improve your life, run with it. Make a plan. Set aside the time and resources and go for it.

What are the big opportunities staring you in the face?

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The Product Management Perspective: Opportunities can be difficult to recognize for product managers. They often come in ways you don’t expect. They are sometimes subtle and almost always difficult to detect. However, opportunities do exits. New products are out there waiting for you to discover them. Significant improvements to existing products are looking for daylight. Seek them out, accept them and go to work making new realities.