“A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.”
Albert Szent-Györgyi
Serendipity is defined as “events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.” In other words, it’s about unexpected opportunities arising when we least expect them.
August was “back to school” month in many parts of the world, and one of my mentees was starting university in the U.S., experiencing the usual mix of excitement and nervousness in a new environment. He shared a story with me that demonstrates the power of serendipity—and how it can open doors in the most unexpected ways.
He arrived at school a day before orientation to take care of last-minute shopping and prepare for moving into his dorm. Traveling with his parents, they reached their hotel late at night, around 10 p.m., tired from the long drive. When checking in, he met a front desk clerk who didn’t seem like part of the typical university crowd and was unusually talkative.
Although my mentee wasn’t feeling particularly chatty, he politely answered his questions. When the clerk asked what brought him to town, he explained that he was starting university nearby, majoring in astronomy. That’s when things took an unexpected turn. The clerk’s face lit up, and he said, “No way! One of my best friends studied astronomy at that same school—and now he’s working at NASA!”
In an instant, my mentee’s exhaustion faded, replaced by excitement. “NASA is my dream job!” he exclaimed. The clerk smiled and showed him a picture of his friend, offering to connect them on LinkedIn. He said, “Reach out to him and let him know I sent you—he’d be happy to help.” That same night, my mentee sent a message. To his surprise, the NASA employee responded, and they set up a call to talk about navigating university life and how to pave a path toward NASA.
This serendipitous moment came from an unexpected source, but it was courtesy and openness that unlocked the opportunity.
My encouragement to you: Be open to the unexpected, and approach every encounter with curiosity. Your greatest opportunities might come from the most unlikely places.
Yours in possibilities,
TKO
P.S. I’m planning to release more free UNLEASH workbooks (check out the existing one on Compassion here) to help you integrate UNLEASH values into your life. What dimension should we release next? Send me an email with your suggestions—I’d love to hear from you!