Saying yes to opportunity, even if you don’t feel like it

There was a metaphorical knock on the door that prompted me to look up from the busywork I was deeply involved in. Who was it?

My first instinct was to turn him or her away. “Get lost,” I wanted to say, but held back. I opened the door and saw the blurred face of what could possibly be opportunity.

“Yes? Can I help you?” I asked.

“I am here,” he replied, “to talk to you about an opportunity you might be interested in.”

A sales pitch, I thought to myself. I don’t have the time or energy for this.

“Come on in,” I said, surprising myself.

It was my system 2 brain overriding my system 1 brain. System 2 knew I was weary from work, and that I would have said no straightaway if led by my instinct.

System 2 knew that the opportunity was unusual if not compelling; and not setting a precedent of rejection would do me well in the long term. Even if this opportunity doesn’t work out, at least I’d know I tried; at least I’d learn something, even if that something was that these things don’t work.

So I heard him out; listened to the value proposition; found out more, despite my system 1 self saying, “no, I’d much prefer to sleep; we don’t take more stress than we already got.”

And I said, “yes, let me try. I’d like to move forward, thank you.”

Let’s see.