Timing is everything

I've been making art (paintings, drawings, art objects, etc.) for most of my life, . . . professionally for the last 17 years. Along the way, I've learned a lot of things about this business. One of the most important lessons learned, is that "timing can be everything". This applies to all of the creative arts, . . . music, acting, dance, writing, etc, . . . It's not always about "How good you are, . . . or who you know, . . . it comes down to having an opportunity and making the best of it", . . . not only do you have to market your skills and allow yourself to be in situations that can present opportunities, . . .you have to be ready when one is presented to you, . . . being in the "right" place at the "right" time and having the ability to deliver.
There are so many talented individuals out there, who are never given the chance to show what they can do. It can be frustrating.
Of course, there are also plenty of mediocre people out there who simply do a "serviceable" or " a good enough" job and are successful at marketing their reliability as something better than it actually is. They can "deliver" for sure, . . . just not something great!" One must know what finished work looks like (that's a start)
That said, I consider myself fortunate to be making a living in this business.