Derek Sivers
from the book “Your Music and People”:

Every breakthrough comes from someone you know.

2000-05-01

When I was promoting my music, I used to look to the big wide world for opportunities.

Only later, I realized that every great thing that happened in my career came from someone I knew.

When you come to an opportunity through a connection, you have an advantage. You’re not anonymous. You’ve already passed through a filter, and passed a test. You’re treated special because it’s a personal referral.

Does this mean you should stop looking to the world for opportunities? No! Of course not!

Take some of that searching time, and spend it on keeping in touch with your existing contacts.

Then also keep looking to the world. But when you find an opportunity, don’t just toss your music in with the rest. Get to know the people behind it. Set yourself apart. Get personal. And now this is someone you know.

Every breakthrough comes from someone you know.