Chances fly past everyone. Only the ones with warmed-up hands can catch them.

Opportunity is distributed more evenly than it looks; the difference is who is in a position to act when one appears. Chances rarely announce themselves far enough ahead to prepare from scratch, so the preparation has to already be sitting there. That is what makes the unglamorous work matter, the practice with no audience and the skill with no immediate use. Readiness is the entire difference.

Keep one thing sharp that you are not currently being paid or graded for. Ten minutes most days is enough to stay warm. When something opens, you want to be answering rather than starting.