On Luck and Creative Careers
Luck gets a ton of credit in the scribbling racket, but it's way less random than people think. Most folks who "get lucky" are already out there grinding. They're in the trenches, honing their craft, building their network, watching how the game is played. When something finally breaks their way, they're ready to grab it—not just 'cause they've got skills, but because they've been paying attention and showing up when others bailed.
Being in the right place at the right time? That's not some cosmic lottery. It's about seeing patterns, knowing when to make your move, and reading the room like it's your favorite deck of Magic cards. That kind of readiness doesn't just happen. It's built by showing up day after day, even when there's no obvious payoff and everyone else is at the beach.
I hit the luck jackpot. I grew up in a zip code where the schools didn’t suck and the neighborhoods weren’t dangerous. That meant stability. That meant my brain wasn't constantly in survival mode. I had the mental bandwidth to dream, explore, and take creative risks without the world crashing down around me. A lot of kids never got that head start. I rolled natural 20s before I even started playing. But the rest of the campaign was on me.
You can't control luck, but you can absolutely stack the deck. Be insanely great at what you do. Be the person who delivers. Be someone others actually want to hang with after the project wraps. Stay hungry. Know your domain better than anyone. Keep leveling up. And don't ghost when things get quiet. The dip between gigs is a time to reflect, regroup, and rebuild.
Half the doors in the creative world open because someone enjoys having you in the room, not just because you're brilliant. And way too many careers flame out because people forget that simple truth. Luck matters, but it's attracted to motion, preparation, and being present when opportunities arise. Are you ready to get lucky?
