“Luck is preparation and opportunity.” –Bobby Knight
If you’re like me, you probably never heard of the B612 Foundation before.
The group, founded by two former NASA astronauts, wants to save the world…from space rocks. Its mission statement says, “Our goal is to hunt asteroids that could hit the Earth and potentially cause human devastation.”
Pretty obscure stuff. Until last week.
That’s when the Earth had two close encounters of the outer space kind: One when an asteroid passed very close (in relative terms) to the planet. And then when a meteor exploded over Russia, putting on a spectacular display of sound and fury, injuring more than a 1000 people.
Suddenly, the B612 Foundation folks were right in the middle of big news. And they smartly took advantage of it.
Members of the group became media stars, popping up on network newscasts and in major newspapers to comment on these headline-making events. Their organization and mission became front-and-center in the public consciousness. Now LOTS of people know about the B61 Foundation.
Luck? You bet (see definition above).
I have no idea how the B612 Foundation team prepared for cosmic-related breaking news stories, but it’s pretty evident they did. And just as important, they knew how to take advantage of it once the opportunity presented itself.
Sometimes breaking news and other situations occur where you would be the ideal choice for the media spotlight. But if you aren’t ready to act when that happens, you could end up squandering an incredible chance at “getting noticed.” That’s not bad luck, that’s bad preparation.
So be prepared. That means more than just having your thoughts in order. You must also stay alert for stories where you could be the “expert” and be available to the media immediately after they happen.
If you do, there’s a good chance you will have the kind of “luck” the B612 Foundation had.
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