The Waiting Room:
Staying Ready
One question has followed me throughout my career.
"How did you know to prepare for that opportunity?"
The honest answer is...
I didn't.
I prepared anyway.
Most opportunities don't send a calendar invitation.
They don't announce themselves months in advance.
They simply arrive.
A phone call.
An introduction.
A meeting.
A conversation.
A crisis.
A chance to lead.
By the time everyone else recognizes the opportunity, it's usually too late to prepare for it.
Preparation has to happen before the opportunity becomes obvious.
Throughout my career, I've tried to live by a simple principle.
Stay ready.
Not because I knew what was coming.
But because I didn't.
I studied beyond my role.
Built relationships outside my organization.
Learned skills I wasn't yet being asked to use.
Volunteered for assignments others avoided.
Not because there was an immediate reward.
But because I believed preparation always pays dividends.
Eventually.
One of my grandfather's habits continues to shape me today.
Before beginning any project, he gathered his tools.
Not halfway through.
Before he started.
At the time, it seemed overly deliberate.
Today, I understand.
Preparation isn't about predicting the future.
It's about respecting it.
The future belongs to those who have done today's work well.
Wayne Dawson has often challenged me with a simple but powerful thought:
"Don't prepare for the opportunity. Prepare for the person you're becoming."
That perspective changed the way I think.
Because opportunities come and go.
Identity remains.
If I become the right leader...
The right opportunities will eventually find me.
The waiting room has taught me something I wish I had learned much earlier.
Readiness isn't a destination.
It's a discipline.
It's choosing growth when no one is watching.
It's reading another book.
Making another call.
Learning another lesson.
Helping another person.
Not because someone asked you to.
Because that's who you've decided to become.
Today, I don't know exactly what the next chapter holds.
But I know this.
When the door opens...
I don't want to wish I had prepared.
I want to be grateful that I did.
Reflection
Ask yourself:
If my next opportunity arrived tomorrow, would I be ready?
What skills should I be developing today?
What relationships should I be investing in?
Who am I becoming while I wait?
Because readiness isn't built overnight.
It's built every ordinary day before the extraordinary opportunity arrives.
The Storyteller Library 📚
Mastery — Robert Greene
A compelling exploration of how exceptional performers dedicate themselves to continuous learning and preparation long before recognition arrives.
Deep Work — Cal Newport
Newport argues that focused, intentional work is one of the greatest competitive advantages in today's distracted world. Preparation thrives where attention is protected.
Next Week
Trusting the Timing
When you've done everything you can do, what do you do next?
— DeWayne Allen
Founder/The StoryTeller
DeWayne Allen
www.demalo-ent.com
