less work than you think

What if everyone who ever accomplished anything did it not by sheer effort, but by simply falling into something at the right time?

When I see supposedly successful or famous people, I immediately think - Oh, they are better than me. They have some special something that allowed them to be and do what they do. I assume they earned their way into their current situation.

But what if it a lot of it was pure luck and chance? Things just happened and they ended up where they are. I bet if we talked to these so-called successful people we would learn that this is a big part of it. They felt an interest in something. They decided to start doing it. Maybe they had a connection that opened a door for them. They enjoyed it, so they kept doing it, and they kept getting better at it. They were disciplined and focused and reliable, sure, but they were also patient and Then one day, after working a little at a time, they found they were seen as quite successful in what they do. The Tao found a way to express itself through them.

So why do I always think that to find my place in life where i will be brilliant, I need to make sure I make the right choice. I think the trick is to find the right thing to do and THEN I will be successful at it. And I will work hard. And I might not do the most difficult thing, because I don't want it to be too hard. And I think I am in charge. And I feel anxious, and I may not enjoy the thing I chose. And in the end, after much time, effort, and perhaps money, I've not made any progress toward my goal.

I'm making it too hard. It's not about finding the thing that will allow me to be "a successful person." It's about just doing the things I love, and letting go of expectations. You can't force greatness. It just happens when you're not looking because you are so lost in doing what you love to do.