THE SERENDIPITY
ENGINEER AND HIS 80/20 PARETO PARTY
Serendipity
is the fortunate discovery of something valuable or privileged that you weren’t
actively seeking. While it is unpredictable there are ways to nudge yourself in
the direction of more frequent and impactful happy serendipity encounters.
Through this paper I tell
how I use the Pareto Principle to invoke Engineered Serendipity encounters.
The Pareto Principle,
also known as the 80/20 principle, states that roughly 80% of the effects come
from 20% of the causes. Stated
otherwise, 80% of results come from 20% of the efforts. The 20% are known as the “vital Few”. Hence, I apply this principle to identify
areas of my life where a little effort (20%) can yield a high chance (80%) of
serendipitous encounters and outcomes.
Eighty percent of our
achievements come from 20% of our time.
The 80/20 rule is
regarded as a general framework, and the specific applications may vary (70/30
or 90/10) depending on any person’s areas of interests and goals.
Let’s assume that you
have 10 pairs of shoes. (Not uncommon). But we know that out of these you most
frequently wear only 2 or 3 pairs. The other 7 or 8 are lying in
your closet unused, accumulating dust.
If you live in a house of 10 rooms, you’re most likely to inhabit 2 or 3
of them. (20% used, 80% mostly unused).
The 80/20 principle is
pervasive in every area of our lives.
Engineered Serendipity
is the concept of creating circumstances that increase the likelihood of
encountering fortunate discoveries or happy accidents. For example, you, a literary type, go out
for a walk, not looking for anything, when you stumble on a hidden gem of a
bookstore you never knew existed. That's kind of the vibe of engineered
serendipity.
The key is to identify
areas in our lives where a small investment of effort (20%, “vital few”), can
yield a high chance of serendipity encounter. By being intentionally
expectant, open, persistent and selective we significantly increase the
likelihood of encountering positive surprises and unexpected fortunate
opportunities in our life.
Serendipity is a mindset.
The Serendipity Engineer
is a Professional.
The mission of the
serendipity engineer is to enhance serendipity encounters in our lives.
A serendipity engineer is
a master of maximizing unexpected opportunities. They leverage the 80/20
principle, (focusing on 20% of actions that bring 80% of results), and their
diverse skills to create a fertile ground for probability encounters that lead
to innovation and fruitful serendipitous successful events.
& & &
The three top promising
areas in our lives are conducive to bring about valued and fortunate serendipity
encounters.
1) Social Interactions and Social Networking.
The quality of our lives
comes down to the quality of the people that surround us and the experiences
that fill it.
* The 20% Effort. In my social life I seek to develop
relationships with a curated group - the vital few – (20%) of friends,
colleagues, acquaintances who teach, challenge, and inspire me. I attend events they recommend, introduce
them to my network, and seek to schedule more one-on-one time with them for
lunch or coffee.
I favor the company of super-connectors.
They are the ultimate social connectors.
The ones who know everyone and remember their favorite band. That's a
super-connector! They have a rolodex bursting with people from all walks of
life; but it's not just a list of names. They genuinely care about their
network and love playing matchmaker.
Super-connector is the
glue that holds awesome social groups together. They build a vibrant network
where people can share ideas, find opportunities, and even discover a new best
friend along the way.
* The 80% Serendipitous Social Encounters. This focused effort with a select smaller
group of people increases the chance of unexpected wider social connections,
project collaborators, or enhanced new introductions to new people within their
circles of friends and colleagues.
Fact of Life - most
everything we have come to us from other people.
2) My Mind is Open to Continuous Learning and Study.
* My 20% Effort: I identify and select 1-2 topics or areas
that truly pique my curiosity and enhance my professional skills. I try to
continuously upgrade my insights and sagacity talents. I expand
my knowledge by reading books and learning a foreign language. Attending public
talks, seminars, or joining online communities and classes are common modes of
continuing education.
I seek second and third
opinions from medical doctors. So should you.
Albert Einstein said that
“Curiosity is more important than knowledge.”
* My 80% Serendipity gain: By immersing myself in these areas of
interest, I've encountered related content, events, and teachers that I may
have otherwise missed. This leads to unexpected learning opportunities or
collaborations. I acquire new skills, participate in projects all of which
scales and enhance the quality of my serendipity encounters.
3) I Seek Adventures and Exposure to New Environments.
* The 20% Effort: I give fraction of my time to travel and
exploration of new places (countries, museums, parks, university campuses).
Travel to foreign
countries is an educational enrichment venture.
I always keep my passport updated and valid – ready to go.
I try new and different
activities (volunteering, joining a club).
* The 80% Serendipitous Rewards: Stepping outside my local comfort zone
increases my chance of encountering unexpected new people, ideas, and
opportunities that may not have come my way otherwise.
Say it Loud – the quality
of my life comes down to the quality of people and experiences that I surround
myself.
& & &
INSIGHTS
INTO A LIFE OF VALUED SERENDIPITY ENCOUNTERS
Personal
Habits, Activities and Methods to Engineer Serendipity.
My advice - become a
curator of your time.
The most precious asset
we have is the time of our life.
Our challenge is using our
time productively.
Consider this – 80% of
our results and enjoyment of life comes from 20% of the time we used. Twenty percent (20%), is the flashing moment
of inspired sagacity – the “Aha” moment
- when we recognize the serendipitous encounter for what it is – Serendipity.
The first step is to
become aware of how we spend our time currently. Track your activities for a
week. Identify areas where you can free
up even a small amount of time (the “vital 20%”) for centered engineered
serendipity efforts. The unspoken corollary to the 80/20 principle is that
little of what we spend our time on, actually counts.
By concentrating on those
things that do count, we can unlock the enormous potential of the magic 20%.
This doesn't have to be a drastic change; even a reallocation of an hour a week
can make a significant difference.
Ingenious – there is no
shortage of time when we use our time productively.
I Set Myself Loose
Intentions.
I do it before venturing
into a new environment or activity. I
carry a loose intention in my mind. This can be something as simple as
"meet someone new in this field" or "learn something unexpected
today."
Having a hovering guiding
intention in my mind helps me, flexibly, to be open to relevant opportunities
while remaining adaptable and receptive of the unexpected.
I Embrace the Power of an
Open Mind:
An open mind runs at a
higher gear.
Nowadays I keep an open
mind more than I ever did before. The
key ingredient to engineered serendipity is an open mind of receptivity.
I’m willing to try new things. Being
mindful of the present keeps me open to unexpected conversations, invitations,
flirtations or detours from my old routines. Oftentimes the most serendipitous
encounters happen when we least expect them.
Shonda Rhimes (creator
of Grey’s Anatomy
TV series) taught me to embrace the power of “Yes”.
Embrace the Power of "Yes,
and…". When presented with an
invitation, especially one outside your comfort zone, respond with a positive
"Yes, and..." This opens you
up to new experiences, opportunities and the connections that will flow from
them.
Strike up a conversation
with folks who appear interesting.
Explore unexpected exhibits at the trade show, museum, and public
fairground.
I’m trying to be the
first to introduce yourself to new people. It was hard for me to break out of
my incarcerating comfort zone. It’s
still not easy, but now I introduce myself and shake hands with everyone seated
around my lunch table.
I introduce myself using
the James Bond style: “Lender. Mandy Lender.”
As I project this
confident self-introductory style, the other party is left to wonder: ‘How did
I miss him until now?’
Expect novel connections
or opportunities that might arise. Anywhere.
Nurturing the Seeds of
Serendipity.
Having been introduced I
don't let chance social encounters fizzle out. I exchange contact information
with people I meet. I follow up on interesting discussions and take initiative
to nurture on the new connections. This involves attendance at social, cultural
and commercial events that others recommend.
I may simply send a follow-up email to express my continued interest.
Have you read the ‘Never
Eat Alone’ textbook? Go study it!
Problem-Solving and
Creativity.
Master Core Creativity
Techniques (investing 20% Effort).
This equips you with a
solid toolkit of problem-solving framework, and tools for brainstorming
techniques. Having a strong foundation
in these core productivity methods allows you to approach challenges
strategically. Doing that yields 80% of
solutions in later life challenges.
Let Your Mind Wander
(that is yielding 80% Serendipity).
Sometimes the best
solutions come when we step away from the problem entirely. I take breaks to recharge
or engage in hobbies that stimulate different parts of my brain. I do yard work
around my farmhouse or spend time outdoors.
I do physical work around my farmhouse and spend time outside in
nature. I take a refreshing nap if I
feel like it. This intentional downtime
allows my subconscious to make unexpected connections between seemingly
unrelated ideas, fostering a creative breakthrough when I least expect it.
By taking these steps, we
increase the likelihood of serendipitous encounters to blossom into long-term
friendships, friendly collaborations, or encounter new career or business opportunities.
The ideal balance between
focused effort and serendipitous exploration will vary depending on your
specific goals and personality.
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1. Learning and
Exploration
Focus on High-Quality
Resources (20% Effort). I dedicate time
to curate topics from a selection of reliable sources (books, courses,
podcasts, AI agents), tailored to my interests. This intellectual core
collection provides for a strong foundation of knowledge and sagacity.
I rely on and trust the
Power of Randomness (that is 80% Serendipity). Here's where the magic happens. I step outside my comfort zone and actively
seek out experiences that expose me to a wider range of ideas and people. I
attend conferences on unfamiliar topics, join online communities with diverse
perspectives, or participate in workshops that pique my curiosity. Maven.com is
one example of a serendipity-based site. This deliberate "randomness"
may spark unexpected connections between seemingly disparate concepts, igniting
an impulse for enhanced creativity or lead me down a fascinating intellectual
rabbit hole.
2. Networking and
Relationships
I Cultivate Meaningful
Social Connections (20% Effort). I
invest time, money and energy in building social relationships with select
groups of individuals who inspire and support me. These core connections
provide a foundation of trust and reciprocity.
I Expand My Social
Network Through Serendipity (80% Serendipity).
I
place myself and enter situations where I can meet new people from various
backgrounds. I seek to attend events with a diverse guest list,
such as charity dinners and business lunch meetings. There I strike up
conversations with strangers.
I’m a
Conversationalist.
I open conversations with people from different backgrounds. Ask
open-ended questions and actively listen to their stories. You never know what
unexpected gem you might uncover.
I consider volunteering for causes I care
about. These interactions lead me to
serendipitous connections and collaborations I never anticipated. Doors open to new opportunities or just enrich my life
with fresh perspectives.
3. Adventurous Activities
Are a Mind Opener.
Make Room for the
Unexpected. Here are some actionable things to do.
I Schedule Dedicated Time
for Serendipity. (This doesn't mean aimlessly scrolling through social
media).
I’m intentional about
exploration. I visited a curiosity
shop. I surround yourself with a
diverse array of objects and let them lead the imagination. Who knows what
mental connections you might make?
I Go on Field Trips. Conferences outside my field. Expose yourself to new sights, ideas and
communities you might not normally meet.
Engage in
Micro-Adventures. Oh, I like these.
I call it regenerative
serendipity. We all need to escape the routines of life with small, unplanned
outings. Exploring a new neighborhood park, I tried different routes for my
commute. I visit local museums I've
never been to. I visit periodically the big upscale malls.
Take Online Courses on
Random Topics.
Learning platforms offer
a vast array of subjects. Have you visited The Great Courses web site? Pick
something unfamiliar and see where it takes you.
Big Time Adventure Travel.
Have you visited Alaska?
Did you consider going to the Amazon area? The South Sea Islands? (I’ve been to
the Galapagos Islands). When did you
last been to Paris? Have you been to the bottom of the awesome Boulder Dam
structure and watched the turbines humming?
One doesn’t need to
travel far to make serendipitous discoveries.
Enters Galileo Galilei. Galileo discovered the four moons of Jupiter
from the porch of his house. This story
is worth telling with some details.
Galileo Galilei wasn't
exactly the first guy on the block with the telescope. It was chilling around
as a Dutch invention when Galileo heard about it in 1609. But here's the thing:
Galileo wasn't one to just settle for something okay. He tinkered with the
design, figured out how to make the magnification way stronger – we're talking
up to 30 times better than the earlier versions! That’s 20% of his
project. Well, maybe only 1% of it…
This wasn't just some
party trick, though. Galileo was the first person to really point this
souped-up telescope gazing at the dark sky gazing. In 1610, he serendipitously stumbled on
something of an interplanetary scale that changed everything: four moons
orbiting Jupiter!
This was a huge deal
because, according to popular thinking at that time, everything revolved around
Earth. Moons around another planet? That threw a wrench on those plans!
Galileo's serendipitous
discoveries yielded 99% of cosmology science in the 17th century. He paved the way for a whole new
understanding of the Universe, with the Sun, not Earth, at the center. 99/1 - wild, right?
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Why these areas?
The areas described above
are fertile ground for Engineered Serendipity because they all share a common
thread:
They thrive on a delicate
balance between intentionality and openness to chance encounters.
By focusing our initial
effort on building a solid foundation (a 20% investment) - we open up mental
space (for 80% result) to be receptive to the unexpected opportunities that
serendipity encounters bring on us. The "80% Serendipity" activities
in turn open a larger pool of potential connections, options and ideas,
increasing the likelihood of a surprising and more positive outcome.
& & &
Bonus Actionable Tool. Track your serendipitous experiences! Keep a journal or use a note-taking app to
jot down unexpected encounters, interesting ideas, or helpful connections. Reviewing these notes regularly helps you
identify patterns and refine your approach to engineered serendipity over time.
Become
a Collector of Experiences.
Document your life
experiences.
Take photographs
frequently and in large volume. My smart
phone has a camera!
You’re the curator of
your life experiences. Actively seek out a diverse range of encounters. This
goes beyond just traveling to new places (though that certainly helps!). By consciously generating opportunities for
serendipity and reflecting on the results, increase we significantly the
likelihood of experiencing those moments of fortune where surprise and
inspiration collide.
The Magical Realism of
Harry Potter. The key here is to gain a
bunch of cool stuff lying around (“the 80%”) and then sprinkle in a few
surprises (the 20%) to turn things exciting. That's how you create a world that
feels real and magical. Just like Diagon Alley or Hogwarts. Next time you're out and about, keep your
eyes peeled for those unexpected moments of wonder. You never know what you
might find!
J.K. Rowling used this
formula. The point is, these unexpected
things, even the small stuff, can make your trip way more interesting. You
could meet a new friend, learn a cool spell, or maybe find a secret passageway
(hopefully not one that leads to trouble). That's the magic of serendipity,
and it happens all the time in our wizarding world.
Richard
Koch re-invented the 21th century 80/20 Principle. He says that,
” Successful people
typically don't plan their success.
Instead, they develop a unique philosophy or attitude that works for
them. They stumble across strategies which are shortcuts to success, and latch
onto them. Events hand them opportunities they could not have anticipated.”
This last statement is
another way of defining Engineered Serendipity.
Photo
credit to Richard
Koch back cover book.
Marshall
Perry has shown the asymptotic nature of the 80/20 Principle. That
means the relation behaves in such a way as to approach a given value, or a
point, or a level, continuously without ever reaching it. It can in
certain situations reach 99/1 relation or even 99.9/0.01 and so on.
There are endless additional
empirical observations to support the Serendipity Engineer. We’ll continue presenting them in future
papers.
© Mandy Lender, MD 2024
www.mandylender.com
www.mandylender.net
www.attractome.com
www.lendercombinations.com
www.visionofhabakkuk.com
Tags: #serendipity #80/20rule
#engineeredserendipity #paretoprinciple
#sagacity #adventurous
#socialnetworking #continuingeducation #chatgpt
