I was nerding out this weekend and watching some videos on YouTube about the new Star Wars movie coming out this year. Like everyone else, I can’t wait to see it.

J.J. Abrams is a name now most people know now. He is currently one of the top directors and producers in Hollywood. He directed the new Star Trek movies and is directing the newest Star Wars movie. He even has his own production company, Bad Robot.

I discovered an interesting fact about him this weekend.

His first credited directing debut was two episodes of the TV show Felicity. Some nerds know this already, but I had no clue.

He went from directing a teen-drama TV show, to directing a movie that is about break box office records all over the world.

How do you go from Felicity to Star Wars?

16 years. That’s how.

I fear too many of us want to get too far too fast. We think our directing debut should be Star Wars, when really we just need to be grateful we are directing Felicity.

When we expect too much too quickly, we are only left with disappointment. Disappointment in the world and disappointment in ourselves for what we weren’t able to accomplish.

I hope we all find success and find it quickly, but just because no one knows your name yet doesn’t mean you’re not right where you’re supposed to be.

Take the Felicity jobs and don’t think less of yourself for it. Do what you love doing even if no one is going to say you’re awesome at it yet.

It’s funny that the same time J.J. Abrams was directing Felicity episodes, George Lucas was directing Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and most fans were severely disappointed by it. Now Abrams is coming to redeem us for years long-suffered.

We build our lives, our careers and our dreams. They are not given to us.

Stay hungry. Stay humble.

Humility is our best shot at happiness.