Even though we don't always recognize it, every opportunity that comes our way is a gift. We must get to a place of maturity where we are wise enough to leverage the opportunities that come our way, are vigilant enough to know they do not and will not come around often. In fact, some opportunities only come once in a lifetime.

So, as 2019 draws to a close, what have you done with the opportunities you've been blessed with? Have you leveraged them to the fullest or did you squander every single one of them out of ignorance? There's no doubt that missed opportunities are very expensive because they are often the launching pads for astounding achievements.

In the same vein, if you missed some thus far, it's up to you to make sure you never miss another one. Richard Branson said: "Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming." You can commit anew to being vigilant; to discern brand new opportunities as they come going forward.

Don't waste another second pinning about what you may have lost; opportunities that have been wasted. It's a waste of energy. Rather, choose to invest your strength in the new chances that will surely come. Start preparing with faith for that which you can feel in the recesses of your spirit but yet cannot see.

If you've been asleep all year, it's time to wake up. Regardless of what the calendar might say, you still have time simply because it's never too late to begin again. Abandon all the frivolities of youth; all those high school and college schemes that should no longer be part of your arsenal. When we were children, it was okay to think and behave as such but now that we are grown, it's time to put all those childish ways behind us.

Remember, opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them (William Arthur Ward).