The Serendipity Principle
Finding my flow, the hard way
As the end-of-year holidays unfold, I found myself distracted with a lot of wonderous tidings, but that didn’t deter me from getting another edition out! This week, we’ll dive into:
how I fell in love on a plane
learning some life lessons as I stumbled to find my place in a new city
getting a sense of what serendipity actually means for me
As you navigate through the story, I’ll drop insights that either occurred to me then or in my reflections. But first, you’ll need this:
The serendipity principle is the ability to recognize opportunities when someone stumbles upon something they didn't know they were looking for. It also involves being open to new ideas and information while also being an objective observer of reality.
“A wizard is never late, nor is he early; he arrives precisely when he means to.” - Gandalf the Grey
(The Fellowship of the Ring, Peter Jackson)
Learning to walk as you run
Buckle up. You are about to hear a story about someone traveling a great distance to be with someone on a whim. One of many impulse decisions that’d shape me in unexpected ways. Let us begin…
I’d been studying Computer Engineering in San Luis Obispo, California, dabbling in philosophy and psychology. One year after finishing school, I went home to visit my family, bringing my cat with me. The ripple of deciding to bring my cat would lead me on a path I never expected. Sitting there waiting for the plane to board, a curious Persian woman sat next to me and, after asking permission, began talking to my cat like a person, exactly like myself. We got to talking further as the terminal filled with a din of waiting passengers, and I realized that I’d stumbled upon someone I didn’t know I was looking for. Something just felt right about it, and before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap.
We parted ways as we found our seats; I took note and, through the plane entertainment system, found a way to chat, following that feeling. On the plane, we met each other in that nook where the flight attendants hung out and couldn’t get enough of each other. Once we landed, she suggested we meet at a library, and from my childhood, I knew of one near my home. It was a perfect time to continue the banter from the plane while wandering the shelves, finding random topics to dive into as we discovered each other's interests. It was something out of the movie Serendipity!
… before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap.
She was attending UC Berkeley, and for a while, we’d visit each other by train or bus, going on adventures on the central coast of California. As our relationship grew, I knew I couldn’t sustain living far from her for much longer. Before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap.
I dropped everything after years in a small college town and made my way North to Silicon Valley, the land of tech giants and a bustling city. That said, I didn’t go in totally blind. I already knew the potential of moving my life to the Bay Area from classmates and previous visits with her or college friends. That prior knowledge made the impulsive action less of a risk, as I knew there were other potential opportunities in this new place.
What’s an impulsive decision you made that surprised you with what you learned? I’d love to hear about it.
Immersed in the world of Computer Engineering, my sights were set on unraveling the complexities of technology, fueled by a burning desire to innovate and create. Silicon Valley has a storied history of innovation, and it would be my new home. Yet, amidst this technical pursuit, unexpected currents swept me into choppy waters.
I can remember struggling at first, making ends meet by working odd jobs and living in a small bedroom with a shared bathroom. I found myself scooping gelato at a local shop, exploring classes in creative writing and anthropology—a serendipitous detour that would billow my sails into a future of eloquence. However, amidst this mosaic, I grappled with a sense of direction, adrift, seeking a lighthouse to navigate the uncharted.
Though I may have been meandering in focus, I’d begun to see the beacon calling me to port in Karl with a stable foundation in Berkeley. Not shortly after that feeling settled, the relationship crumbled beneath me. Why it crumbled is a story itself chock-full of life lessons; perhaps I’ll share another time. For a moment, all my plans seemed to have lost meaning.
However, before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap. The solution didn’t come overnight, but I’d reawakened my focus. Bottomless gelato and the friends I’d made in my new home left me with solace. A mantra I repeated, “I am NOT alone; this setback WON’T define me.” With an act of defiance and gratitude I devoted myself not to fall flat on my face.
… before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap.
I seized this newfound devotion to rubber-band myself back into action. Fortunately, LinkedIn had been around for a while at this point, but I’d only just started learning about it. Honestly, this time of my life was a whirlwind of new things, mistakes being made, and just trying to stay above the surface of an ever-growing ocean representing things I didn’t know. I persevered and created a profile.
Fortunately, it settled onto the shore of a recruiter’s search. I’d gotten my first cold outreach about a role that sounded too good to be true—a way to get into the tech industry and learn how to network as part of my job. Of course, I was nervous; what if I wasn’t good enough? What even is a Technology Evangelist? I remember thinking. But, no, this wasn’t the time to dwell on my hesitations. I needed to move forward and prove that I was enough; before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap. I replied, “I’m interested. Tell me more!” What did I have to lose?
… before my rational brain caught up, I took the leap.
Was the mention of a crumbling relationship too tantalizing? Want to hear more about my lessons in love? Did you ever make an impulsive decision to be with someone and it falls flat? Let me know in the comments.
If you got lost in the story, I totally get it. Let’s recap the main lessons I’ve found so far:
Serendipitous moments will come at you unexpectedly. You hone your awareness of these pivotal opportunities by keeping an open mind, being ready to receive new information, and acting on impulse. If you’re curious about the science behind impulse decision-making, check out Blink by Malcolm Gladwell – a fascinating read!
Continuously learning and accepting that you don’t know everything will support your ability to make decisive decisions and impulsive actions with more passive intelligence.
Is there a lesson you found that I didn’t list above? Let me know! A different lens on the same story can reveal findings hidden from those close to them.
> FUN FACT: Serendipity can play a major role in the success of individuals and organizations. For example, Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming by accident.