Super Bowl Sunday has always held a certain place in my heart. Growing up and to this day I still revel in the fanfare and excitement surrounding one of the biggest events in professional sports. Regardless of whether I have a personal interest in which team wins, I find myself rooting for the underdog and enjoy seeing players perform at their best on the biggest stage possible. A prime example is Eli Manning. Largely and unfairly (in my opinion) overshadowed by his big brother Peyton and other starting quarterbacks, Eli found himself in the Super Bowl facing an opponent and rival who many experts figured to be simply better at winning the big game. Given this pressure and ultimate opportunity, Eli did what a true champion does and stepped up. 

The theme for this post is capitalizing on opportunities when they present themselves to you. I have put together a list of ways to position yourself for and ultimately react to opportunities should they arise.

1. Say Yes: Some of the best experiences in my life have come from simply being open to them. If you are not open to opportunities you will be limited in most aspects of your life including your career. Saying yes to more situations than you say no will yield positive results. 
   
2. Prepare: Eli Manning watched hours of Tom Brady/Patriots game film and was meticulous in his preparation so when it mattered his execution would be flawless. All of this happened before stepping foot on the field on Sunday. Without preparation, victory might not have come. 
   
3. Reach Out: The best part of working in an industry of top performers is absolutely no shortage of experience and inspiration. Having the ability to reach out and gain advice, capture best practices and develop is purely a benefit that cannot be overlooked. Building relationships and being open to criticism will help you to continuously improve on your core competencies and help you learn new skills. Eli Manning had big brother Peyton to reach out to. How valuable was Peyton's advice? Well, considering his team could only muster two wins this season without him, his input is probably pretty valuable. Identifying in your day to day interactions those people who can and will help you get to where you want to go should be a top priority. That is of course unless, unlike anyone who has ever succeeded, you can do it on your own. Everyone needs a support staff and a mentor. Also, being chosen as either should be seen as an honor. Pay it forward.
   
4. Embrace Your Fear: Not everything that happens will be comfortable. If you are someone who can only thrive when you remain in the safe company of the familiar you won't grow. There is an old adage that states you should do one thing a day that scares you and this can be applied to your professional career. An even older adage is that a boat in a harbor is safe, but that's not what boats are for. Branching out is by definition growing.

In summary, by being open, prepared, connected and relatively fearless you will position yourself to step up to any challenge or opportunity that comes along. You cannot fake individual effort when you are honest and enthusiastic in your approach. There were no less than a dozen interviews leading up to the Super Bowl where the interviewer asked Eli Manning if he thought himself to be an "elite" quarterback in the National Football League. I don't think the question is valid anymore.

The reason they give an MVP award is to reward a single effort that leads to a team victory. The challenge is to not only be in consideration for the title, but to remove all doubt.