Strike when the iron is hot !!!

The proverb quoted above is intended to impress upon our minds the desirability of catching time by the forelock. A blacksmith strikes the iron when it is red-hot for then it is soft and negligence or carelessness he allows it to cool; no amount of hammering will have any effect on the iron. In the same way, it is advisable for human beings to seize an opportunity as soon as it presents itself and not to wait until it is too late. Just as the hot iron grown cold quickly, so an opportunity passes quickly and may not come again. A wise man, therefore, is always on the lookout for opportunities and grasps them as soon as they appear.

In the olden days, when the departure of a ship upon its voyage depended upon the tide, the sailors used to wait for it anxiously; as soon as it rose they sailed away. Missing the tide meant postponement of the voyage. Many people fail in life because they do not learn the lesson of striking when the iron is hot. Therefore, we need to stay alert and get hold of the opportunity that is laid in front of us.

Take the case of a businessman to whom a good bargain is proposed. If he is sensible, he will at once close with it but if he becomes unduly suspicious and takes too long weighing the pros and cons of the offer, the same bargaining may be offered to somebody else. This is not to say that one should not use one's judgment in such matters; but excessive caution is ill-advised. One must push one's advantage as that may be their only chance in life to become significant in the society. A subordinate can easily obtain a rise in his salary as a reward for faithful service, provided that he can catch his employer in a mood of satisfaction with his work, and that he makes a timely request.

We should also remember one thing in life and that is life is earnest, life is real, and we are not here to play, to dream and to drift. We have hard work to do and loads to lift. Salvation lies in action, and the ever-abiding truth remains that work alone is worship. We need to be bold and take charge of ourselves so that we can step into the limelight and not be afraid of our competitors.

We need to work hard and recognize our inborn talent in order to strike every opportunity that comes in our way with ease. Sometimes, undoubtedly, inborn talent may be suppressed through total neglect or misdirected training. In such a case the person may not get an opportunity for manifesting its natural bent of mind. However, in the long run, native talent or aptitude for a particular work will definitely emerge and the man will achieve distinction in the sphere to which he properly belongs.

Striking when the iron is hot may be regarded as the key to success in life. The slightest negligence may involve a serious loss. Except in rare cases in which success comes purely by accident, those persons are the likeliest to reap the richest harvest in life who makes the most out of their opportunities as they occur.