I have a few interesting projects in the works and I recently told a colleague whose work I respect greatly that I would love to partner on a particularly juicy idea. Their response was simple and direct:

“Oh, I most certainly want to be a part of THAT!”

The interesting thing is this opportunity wasn’t unlocked by submitting an application, polishing a resume, or cajoling peer nominations.

I firmly believe each of us are always interviewing for our next opportunity. The way we go about our work, the relationships we foster, and the attitude we showcase are moving us closer to (or further from) the exciting and interesting projects that exist for those who aren’t afraid to do a little hard work.

It is important to note that you will never know about the opportunities for which you were never considered because you were trying to do as little difficult work as possible. Nope. You will simply become invisible and wonder why everyone around you is so “lucky”.

As you’ve probably parsed out by now the “secret” to being invited into the best, most interesting, career-changing opportunities isn’t really a secret at all.

Do your very best work every single day. Show up when others won’t. Connect people. Take on challenging projects that others avoid. Be a source of creative solutions for other people’s problems. Encourage those around you.

It’s amazing how many opportunities materialize when you consistently choose to contribute valuable and meaningful work.