Lately I’ve been thinking about forward motion, taking risks, and finding the next big thing.

Here’s some good advice I received (I added a bit to it) that might be helpful to you, too:

You think a lot about “leveling up,” but you’re missing an important point. You will not level up unless you’re able to manage the pressure. If you’re constantly stressed, you’re not ready for the next big thing.

So in the same way as you [insert your choice of previous success or experience], you have a chance to deeply impact people… but what that requires of you is that you are first deeply impacted.

That’s your task and next step. Not crushing it or working 80 hours a week all the time but learning to be impacted. Preparing to be changed.

The universe is ready to give this to you, but your hands aren’t strong enough to hold it. So it’s waiting for you to get ready, and you need to prepare for it.

Chris Guillebeau is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness of Pursuit, The $100 Startup, and other books. During a lifetime of self-employment, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. Every summer in Portland, Oregon he hosts the World Domination Summit, a gathering of creative, remarkable people. His new book, Born for This, will help you find the work you were meant to do. Connect with Chris on Twitter, on his blog, or at your choice of worldwide airline lounge.

Image courtesy of Kevin Wolf.