We love to praise the “Big Break,” that wonderful moment when the stars align and serendipity visits you, making you an instant success. We wait for such moments, even long for them. But here’s the truth: the Big

The best artists, or the smart ones at least, tend to involve other people “because,” as Diana Glyer told me, “the life of an artist, any kind of creator, is fraught with discouragement. You need people to correct your path.”

The way you establish your authority in a certain field is by mastering the techniques of those who are already authorities. And what eventually emerges over time is your own style.

According to researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, creative work is comprised of five steps: preparation, incubation, insight, evaluation, and elaboration.

We cannot create great art without continuing to create ourselves.

“There is no right time. Finally, it just made more sense than it didn’t.”

Success in any creative field is contingent on the scenes and networks you are a part of. You join the scene, showing up and sharing your work. But you build a network by giving more than you take. A network is not made by just connecting with the right people, but by connecting

A network is your insurance against anonymity. The greater access you have to influential people in your field,

the further your work will spread. Of course, you have to be good, but being good is not enough. Skill gets you in front of the right people, but network magnifies your reach. Creative success, then, is contingent on your ability to connect well with those who can vouch for your work. It doesn’t take a lot of people—just a few friends, as Hank said