Opportunities don’t knock three times

“Knock Three Times” is a popular song credited to Tony Orlando and Dawn. The song was released as a single in November 1970. It is about a young man calling the girl living on the floor below:

Oh, my darling, knock three times
On the ceiling if you want me
Twice on the pipe
If the answer is no

Throughout our life all kinds of opportunities move around us. We detect some of them and try to make use of them. But most go past us unnoticed. Unfortunately we cannot ask them like in the song to hit us three times if they are useful or twice if not.

Actually, if we pay attention to the scientific findings we are not that helpless. By applying certain behaviors, we can be aware of the opportunities in a wider scale.

In his presentation for TEDxIstanbul “Attention! Opportunities on the run.” behavioral scientist Emre Soyer’s advice to listeners, who want to catch the opportunities around them, was
– not to be sorry for the opportunities already missed
– to try out new ideas repeatedly
– to look also beyond the boundaries of an issue

One may not get them to knock but at least be able knock at some of them.

The song of the week: Tony Orlando & Dawn – Knock Three Times (1970)