[thagerty]

First of all, you need to find out what you are passionate about, which has been suggested already, but then you have to put in the work. This will open many doors, as people you want to meet understand that learning is important, sharing their knowledge with you, maybe hoping to learn something from you. Don't be afraid to accept offers of collaboration from out of the blue, but keep your standards high. Even if you have to spend some time in a backup plan, keep your wheels moving and be ready to adapt when opportunities come along that fit your goals.