The quote of the day is:

“When one misses an opportunity one is apt to fancy that another will never present itself.” (Marie Bashkirtseff)

Marie Bashkirtseff, was a young artist and writer in the last half of the 1800s. Her own life was marked by missed opportunities—illness cut short her dreams of becoming a singer, forcing her to shift her focus to painting and writing, illustrating how unexpected paths can still lead to fulfilment. Bashkirtseff’s observation here resonates with a common human experience—the fear that opportunities are fleeting, and once gone, they may never return. But is that true?

How Good Are You at Predicting the Future?

The feeling that missed opportunities may never come again is often fuelled by the mind’s attempt to predict the future. But how accurate are we in forecasting what will happen? Most of us have experienced moments where things turned out differently than we expected—sometimes for the better.

In coaching, we often see clients stuck because they believe that a particular missed chance was their “only” shot. Yet, if they look back at their lives, they may notice that new and even better opportunities arose, often when least expected. This begs the question: What if the future holds possibilities we cannot yet imagine?

Not Being Able to See Alternatives

When we miss what feels like a golden opportunity, it’s easy to slip into a mindset of scarcity. We can get caught in a loop that focuses purely on the missed opportunities in question. The belief that another chance won’t come along can blind us to the possibilities that are still present, or those that may lie ahead. But what if the missed opportunity was just one of many paths to a fulfilling outcome?

Consider this: What if something better or simply different is ahead, and we just haven’t seen it yet? The unknown can be both a source of fear and a wellspring of potential. By focusing on what’s lost, we may be missing what’s right in front of us or what’s just around the corner.

What if we didn’t take our thinking so seriously? Our minds often tell us stories about missed chances, convincing us that we’ll never get another shot. But what if those thoughts aren’t the final word? Our thinking is fluid—it changes, it shifts, and it’s not always as reliable as we may believe. By holding our thoughts more lightly, we create space for new insights and fresh opportunities to emerge. Perhaps the only thing standing between us and the next opportunity is our own attachment to the way we think it should look.

As coaches, we can support clients in recognising these blind spots by helping them challenge their thoughts around missed chances. Are they seeing the full spectrum of what’s available, or just what their mind has fixated on?

Trusting that Opportunities Will Come Again

What if you trusted that opportunities, much like the ocean’s tide, will flow back? If you’re in a place where this quote resonates because you feel you’ve just missed an important opportunity, ask yourself: Would you feel differently if you believed that something else—possibly even better—was on its way?

This shift in mindset can help alleviate the pressure of feeling that one missed chance defines your future. Instead, it can open you up to seeing life as a series of ongoing opportunities, some of which may be far better suited for your growth and happiness than the one you initially hoped for.

The Nature of Opportunity

What is the true nature of opportunity? Is it something that exists independently, waiting to be seized? Or is it a product of how we perceive and engage with the world? Our personal “rules” about what qualifies as an opportunity can limit or expand our view. For example, if we define opportunity narrowly—thinking it only comes in the form of a job offer, a relationship, or a specific project—we may miss the subtler opportunities for growth, learning, and connection that are all around us.

What if opportunities are not fixed, but fluid? Could it be that by loosening our grip on rigid expectations, we allow ourselves to see the full spectrum of opportunities available to us? Perhaps the “missed” opportunity was not the only path forward but one of many.

Expanding Your Perspective

If you find yourself dwelling on a missed opportunity, consider reflecting on these questions:

• What if I knew that other opportunities were coming my way? How would that change how I feel now?
• How open am I to seeing opportunities in different forms?
• What “rules” do I have about what counts as an opportunity? Could these be limiting me?
• What opportunities are right in front of me that I might be overlooking because I’m focused on the past?

As coaches, we can help clients shift from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance. We can guide them to recognise that opportunities, like time, are part of an ongoing flow. Rather than fixating on what’s lost, we can help them tune in to the possibilities that are always present.

In Conclusion

Marie Bashkirtseff’s quote reminds us that while it’s normal to grieve missed opportunities, we can also remain open to the fact that life is filled with new chances. Next time you or your client feels the sting of missed opportunities, take a moment to let go of that thinking or question the assumptions behind that feeling. The future is unwritten, and new opportunities may be just around the corner—if only we keep our eyes and minds open and willing to notice.

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller is a transformative coach dedicated to empowering individuals to get out of their own way and make a meaningful impact in the world. With an impactful, nurturing coaching style, Jen supports clients in unlocking their potential and achieving their goals. As an experienced coach and trainer, she guides clients from self-doubt to success.

Discover how Jen can support you to get out of your own way, regardless of what missed opportunities you feel you’ve already had, here.