I was driving in town recently when I experienced a classic example of what not to do in life. A huge truck was unloading in one of the lanes in the fast moving road I was driving along. The car ahead of me had stopped and was waiting to slip past into the second lane. Being a busy road, this was a little bit of a challenge, but as the minutes slipped by, chance after chance was lost by the unconfident and uncertain driver ahead, causing chaos as cars built up behind her.

Not only was the uncertain driver now in a sweat, but in creating an unnecessary traffic jam, held up a whole lot of other road users too. As we finally untangled and went on our way, I got to thinking on how important it is for us to take the gap when it presents itself, whether it's as a road user, or on the road of life.

In the same way that an opportunity to slip into the stream of traffic presents itself for only a moment in time, opportunities in life often open up only for short while. A friend of mine recounted a fabulous story of how he took the gap.

At some stage in his life he found himself jobless. With a wife and small children to feed, he desperately slogged the streets looking for work. One particular interview spoke of a job he really wanted, but for weeks he was unable to get a final answer.

Finally, his frustration bubbled over, and in the early hours of a Monday morning he decided to take matters into his own hands. He showered and dressed and boarded a bus, planning to go to the company and sit in the reception until he could see one of the people who had interviewed him.

What transpired was nothing short of a miracle, because on his arrival at the company, the receptionist recognised him as one of the candidates interviewed for the vacancy. She immediately assumed that his presence at 8am on a Monday morning was an indication that he had been given the job. So she asked "are you starting your new job today?" A gap opened up unexpectedly, and my fearless friend, not missing a beat answered "yes!"

The receptionist showed him to 'his' new office and he started work. And then fate stepped in to assist. Several people had interviewed him for the job, and during the course of the day as each passed by his office, they assumed that the other had employed him, and so his presence was never questioned. He enjoyed a long and successful career with this company - in spite of the fact he never received a letter of appointment!

My friend not only took the gap – he made his own gap. What a supreme example of the power of determination and confidence. Are you waiting endlessly for the perfect moment, a long stretch where you can make an easy entry into something new and better? Don't fearfully watch all your opportunities go by. Know what you want and when the gap appears, put that foot on the accelerator and go!

© Catherine M Glennie