Opportunity Comes in a Rather Strange Form

Why does the goddess of opportunity only have bangs?

There is a saying that "the goddess of opportunity only has bangs."

I had heard it vaguely before, but when I checked the meaning again, I thought it made perfect sense.

You must seize opportunity the moment it comes toward you. Once it passes by, there is no hair left in the back to grab. In other words, you cannot catch it even if you chase after it.

In other words,

Opportunity is fleeting. Therefore, be prepared at all times, and when you think it has arrived, seize it without hesitating too much.

That is likely what it means.

The strange visual of a goddess with only bangs

I understood the meaning.

However, I suddenly wondered.

What exactly does a goddess with only bangs look like?

When I actually try to imagine it as an illustration, it becomes quite a strange visual. She has bangs, but no hair in the back. She is, so to speak, a goddess with only her bangs remaining.

One could see this as an avant-garde hairstyle. It could be called mysterious, or even a bit humorous. If you think about it normally, it is quite a bizarre appearance.

Even so, why did it become such an expression?

"Don't miss your chance," "Opportunity is fleeting," "Don't let the opportunity slip away."

These would have sufficed.

Yet, it was deliberately converted into the intense image of a "goddess with only bangs."

That is what is interesting.

It is precisely because it is strange that it remains in one's memory.

Perhaps the power of this phrase lies not just in the clarity of its meaning.

Rather, I think it lies in the visual sense of incongruity.

If someone tells you, "Don't miss an opportunity," it is certainly true. However, it is also a somewhat familiar lesson. You may agree with it, but it is hard for it to leave a strong impression.

On the other hand, when you are told that "the goddess of opportunity only has bangs," it strangely catches your attention.

Why only bangs?
Is there no hair on the back?
What does she look like in the first place?

Before the meaning, an image comes to mind.

It is a bit strange, a bit comical, yet when you hear the meaning, it makes strange sense. That is why it stays in your memory.

In other words, I think this is a metaphor that sticks in the memory.

It seems it was originally a male god, not a goddess

When I looked it up, it seems that the origin of this phrase is related to a god from ancient Greece called "Kairos."

Kairos is a being that represents
"the right time,"
"a good opportunity,"
or "a decisive moment."

In Japanese, it is often expressed as the "goddess of opportunity," but in the original image, Kairos was often depicted as a young male god.

There are several symbolic features to his appearance.

He has long bangs.
There is no hair on the back of his head.
He has wings on his feet.
He runs away quickly.

When he comes from the front, you can grab his bangs. However, once he passes by, there is no hair on the back to grab. Therefore, you can no longer catch him.

It is a very easy-to-understand, yet mysterious design.

Opportunity is not something that stands still and waits for you. It is something that passes by in an instant.

The roughness of the word "grab"

What is interesting about this metaphor is that the expression "grab the bangs" has a certain roughness to it.

Accepting opportunities carefully.
Selecting opportunities cautiously.

It is not that kind of elegant feeling.

It is more like reflexively grabbing something that passes in front of you. Even if it is a bit clumsy, you reach out anyway. That is the kind of sensation it is.

Opportunities do not wait until you are perfectly prepared.

“After thinking about it a little more”
“After being a little more prepared”
“When the same opportunity comes next time”

While you are thinking that, it passes you by.

That is precisely why you need the instantaneous power to grab it by the forelock.

Couldn't there have been a more ordinary expression?

Of course, other words that convey the same meaning can be thought of.

For example,

Opportunity is like a shooting star. If you don't make a wish the moment you see it, it disappears immediately.

Opportunity is like a wave. If you don't ride it the moment it comes, the same wave will never come again.

All of these are easy to understand.

However, they lack the strangeness of the “goddess with only a forelock.”

Easy-to-understand expressions sink in quickly. On the other hand, strange expressions get stuck in your mind.

I believe this snag is the very strength of language.

Opportunity does not appear in a beautiful form

It is even more interesting to think about this phrase in the context of business or life.

Opportunities do not necessarily appear in a beautiful form.

In fact, they sometimes look like trouble at first.
They sometimes come while you are unprepared.
They sometimes appear in a slightly clumsy form.
They sometimes come with risks and anxiety.

Looking back, you realize, "That was the turning point." However, in the moment, it can sometimes look like nothing more than a troublesome event.

Perhaps that is why the god of opportunity was depicted not as a perfectly beautiful figure, but in the strange form of having only a forelock.

Opportunity is something you appreciate in hindsight, but the moment it appears before you, it is a bit strange and a bit difficult to handle.

Being someone who can grab the forelock

In the end, I don't think this saying just teaches us to "act immediately."

What is important is to prepare yourself daily so that you can notice when an opportunity arrives.

Acquire knowledge.
Gain experience.
Build relationships with people.
Have a basis for judgment.
Continue taking small actions.

Only with such preparation can you sense that what has appeared before you "might be an opportunity."

And when you feel that way, reach out without hesitating too much.

The goddess of opportunity has only a forelock.

What a truly strange expression.