Planned Serendipity

Some believe serendipity doesn’t work the way it is defined (i.e., things happen simply by chance). They believe instead that serendipity is more about preparation. As Pagan Kennedy reports in “How to Cultivate the Art of Serendipity,” some believe serendipity can be developed as a skill and a practice rather than being considered a passive activity. While there is an element of chance, serendipity does not occur simply by accident. One must be in the process of discovery, actively investigating a topic, interest, issue, and so on and seeking and creating the opportunities for new insights. Then, one must be discerning, paying attention to what shows up, and then act on the opportunities and ideas that arise.

There are lessons here for those seeking to make a change in their work or personal life. You can create planned serendipity by identifying areas of interest to explore next in your career and life and becoming active in exploring them. Don’t look only in the usual places for insight; broaden your reach into tangential or analogous areas to find new views and angles that can spark a new idea. In doing so, you’ll create and nurture the space for opportunity and serendipity to present itself.

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The Insight: You can create your own opportunity. Things don’t always happen by chance. People aren’t just lucky. It’s through active exploration and the seeking of insight and possibility that new opportunities arise.

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