Spend as much time as you can ...

Spend as much time as you can with your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open.
 John Jakes

Quotes from the same author

Going after anything worthwile in life entailed risk, of course. A man of ambition and courage didn't let that stop or delay him. A man accepted the dangers, the element of chance. If he didn't, he won nothing.
 John Jakes