Your life journey can’t be planned

You know what fascinates me?  People who believe they can control the course of their life. I often meet parents who are absolutely convinced that a specific college, a certain degree, or a particular career path—say, law school or an MBA—is the guaranteed gateway to success for their child. Frankly, I’ve never understood the misplaced confidence behind that kind of thinking.

The truth is, we have far less control over our life’s journey than we like to admit. We don't need to fully buy into Mike Tyson's famous quote that "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face," but let's be honest with ourselves. There is no single straight line in life, no perfect path to a successful career or happy life.

I like to share a personal story: During my college years in Germany, I dreamed of studying in California. . My university in Göttingen had an exchange program with the University of California system, and I applied—very late. All the supposedly super attractive UC colleges, like UC Berkeley and UCLA (my German college in Göttingen had an exchange program with the UC system), were already full. My advisor basically said, "Nobody wants UC Irvine. Apply there and you're guaranteed a spot.” I said yes. I just wanted to be in California. 

That “second-choice” decision turned out to be one of the most important of my life. I had an incredible year—and I met my wife, Rhonda. We’ve now been married for over 30 years.

My advice? You can’t plan your life journey. What you can do is stay curious, put yourself out there, take risks, work hard, and keep learning. And when you find yourself in a fulfilling career—or living a life that brings you joy—be honest about the role that chance and luck played in getting there. Everyone’s life journey is full of surprises, unexpected turns, and surprising twists. And that’s a good thing.