Most really talented people are never discovered. Most will never make it onto the Best Sellers list, won’t speak at TED, won’t be contacted by NPR.

Chances are you may never find yourself on the big screen. That manuscript? It might end up in more trash cans than hands. And your promising business venture? You’ll be lucky if you get funded within the first ten pitches.

So you have a choice: you can sit back and wait to be called upon…

Or you can claim ownership of your own success.

Don’t wait for the best opportunities to find you. Create them.

Steps can you take to build your tribe, ship your art, design a viable solution — today:

• Start a blog and schedule a regular publishing calendar.
• Organize monthly roundtables with speakers of varied and interesting content.
• Record a series of podcasts on subjects you’d like to learn more about.
• Make sure your plan doesn’t include a stroke of luck or a winning lotto ticket.
• Pitch your mentor, pitch your friend, practice your pitch on the stranger in the elevator.
• Plan a film festival in a friend’s backyard (or rooftop).
• Set a recurring alarm and write for twenty minutes each day.
• Gather three friends and meet every other week to discuss challenges and progress.

Note: This blog post may sound harsh, but I want you to realize this is your life, your career, your dreams, your goals. No one else will take responsibility for them.