Most opportunities come in waves. If you missed the first one, stay in the water.

Chances tend to arrive in clusters, because the conditions that produce one are usually still around a while later. Missing one feels like the end because it was the only one you could see. From inside the water, the next set is always invisible until it is close.

The only real mistake after a missed chance is getting out. Stay in the places where the thing happens: the room, the mailing list, the group, the practice. Keep your work in a state where you could move quickly. Position matters more than timing, and position is the part you can hold onto.