JPO’s steps for success:
1) find a community that’s technically awesome, and has a real sense of community
2) read, learn, do shit, share it, contribute something of value
3) participate in the community’s form of communication (e.g. mailing lists) (help people out, give feedback in areas you’ve actually learned about and done shit in)
4) go to events of said community
5) surround yourself with people way smarter than you are, shut up, listen, ask questions, take notes, really research the shit you didn’t understand afterwards
6) keep going to said events, speak up, engage, and let people associate your face with your name that they know from your worthwhile contributions
7) repeat from step 2 until the community considers you one of their own, and you’re (at least just barely) old enough to get past HR
8) find someone willing to give you a chance. Some is luck, but luck absolutely favors the prepared. If you want to get stuck by lightening, go climb a mountain in a thunderstorm. Here: go do shit that’s worthwhile and let it be known
9) profit
10) give back to help the next person do the same, and be willing to take a chance on someone when it’s your turn to pay it forward
Cost of above: a sacrifice of time (perhaps years of your nights spent hacking instead of sleeping, perhaps a bad GPA), and maybe ~$600/event once or twice a year