Waiting for your big break…?

When I give talks to kids as a tween author, or to adult audiences as one of the Nevertheless Writers, I sometimes get asked about my big break. My answer usually surprises people:
I never got a big break because big breaks don’t happen to most of us, and opportunities rarely just fall into anyone’s lap.
The younger you understand this, the further you will go in every facet of your life . . . your education, your favorite sport, your dream job, your art, your finances, and your relationships.
The truth is life is filled with lots of little cracks – not big breaks – and that’s where you’ll find the opportunities and, eventually, your success.
99% of my writing career has happened because I persistently work at it and make it happen. Three steps forward, two steps back, and repeat. It’s not glamorous, and it’s not what our media-hyped culture wants you to believe, but I guarantee it’s the real-life journey of most determined people who reach their goals.
As for that remaining 1% of my career, once in a blue moon (aka, a scarce occurrence) someone reaches out to me with an offer. For that, I’m extremely grateful. That’s a very good day. But I don’t sit around and hope those opportunities will appear, because those rare moments are out of my control.
So don’t waste your time waiting for a big flashy break. Instead, focus on those fine (sometimes hard to see) cracks of light. Create your own destiny.