Enabling and Spotting Serendipity Triggers – and Connecting the Dots!

 Last week I started reading the book 'The Serendipity Mindset', The Art and Science of creating Good Luck written by Dr. Christian Busch, I have been reading through it this week too, there is so much I could relate to my life and the ongoing crisis. I am sharing a few excerpts from one of the Chapters of the Book. Serendipity (Good Luck) is frequently co-created and sometimes relies on the goodwill of others. Others can envision opportunities or talents in us that we don’t see – or, given their different areas of knowledge, they can connect dots that we don’t have on our radar, opening the opportunity space even further. I experienced it first hand in the last few months when our new Advisory Board Member joined us. I did let her know what we’re interested in and what we’re looking for and seeded potential triggers. Seeding potential triggers are I believe at the core of what people who experience serendipity en masse do. Connecting the dots helps us turn it into a positive outcome. Both are key; and sometimes they happen step by step, sometimes at the same time.

Unexpected connections often appear to come from unexpected sources. If we add up all the possibilities, we realize that the unexpected happens all the time – we just have to open our eyes and pay closer attention to it to notice. And often we need only one of those encounters to change life for the better. I remember my chance encounter with the COO of a leading Hospitality chain in an exhibition, wherein he had asked us to help find entry-level people in the small towns of Tamil Nadu, leading to our Startup Jeevitam, a Livelihood Platform. It’s also not necessarily about changing one’s life, but more about making life more joyful, meaningful, and successful. What is important is that we should expose ourselves to unknowns. We are used to actively searching in fields where we are comfortable, but serendipity is more likely once we encounter random outside influences. We were Bankers who stepped into the Livelihood space, giving us an outsider perspective, questioning the existing and thus creating an Innovative Platform that is now helping millions find a sustainable livelihood.

‘You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.’ ~ Wayne Gretzky. While serendipity triggers often happen via information that we get from books, newspapers, or movies, watching 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara movie was the serendipity trigger for my Startup Journey. Also, many serendipity triggers are seeded – and dots connected – by (often other) people. While the ongoing crisis has taken a lot from us, it's also opening up possibilities and throwing new opportunities. Shifting towards this opportunity-focused mindset will enable us to see previously unseen possibilities. As we enter the Year 2021, we should take whatever is at hand, look at it afresh and recombine it with other objects, skills, people, or ideas that may lead to yet more previously unimagined ideas and insights and, a profound change in our outlook. Wishing all Good Luck!!

Happy Sunday!! Keep Moving & Smiling!!??????