THE PARETO RULE ENAHNCES SERENDIPITY
Serendipity is the
fortunate discovery of something valuable or fortunate 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 occurrences.
Here is how I use the Pareto
Principle
to invoke Engineered Serendipity encounters.
The Pareto Principle,
also known as the 80/20 rule, 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.
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
where a small investment of effort (“vital few”), can yield a high chance of
serendipity encounter. By being intentionally expectant, open, and persistent,
we significantly increase the likelihood of encountering positive surprises and
unexpected fortunate opportunities in our life.
Serendipity is a mindset.
There are three top promising areas in our lives are conducive
to valuable serendipity encounters:
1)
Social Interactions and Social Networking.
The quality of our lives comes
down to the quality of the people and experiences that fill it.
* The 20% Effort. In my
social life I focus on developing 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 networks, and schedule more one-on-one time
with them for lunch or coffee.
* The 80% Serendipitous outcomes. This
focused effort with a select smaller group of people increases the chance of
unexpected new social connections, project collaborators, or enhanced new introductions
to added new people within their circles of friends and colleagues.
Most everything comes to us
from other people.
2)
I Open My Mind for Continuous Learning and Study:
* The 20% Effort: I identify and select 1-2 topics 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 second language. Attending public talks, seminars, or joining
online communities and classes are common modes of continuing education.
* My 80% Serendipity gain: By
immersing myself in these areas of interest, I've encountered related content,
events, and teachers 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)
Adventurism and Exposure to New Environments:
* The 20% Effort: I dedicate a fraction of my time to exploring
new places (museums, parks, workshops).
Travel to foreign countries. I always ensure that my passport is updated
and valid. Trying new and different activities
(volunteering, joining a club).
* The 80% Serendipitous Rewards: Stepping outside my local Comfort Zone increases
my chance encountering unexpected new people, ideas, and opportunities that may
not have come my way otherwise.
Say it Again – the quality of
my life comes down to the quality of people and experiences that I surround
myself.
# # #
INSIGHTS
INTO VALUABLE SERENDIPITY ENCOUNTERS LIFE
Personal Habits, Activities and
Methods to Experience Serendipity.
My advice - Become a Curator of
Your Time:
The most precious asset we have
is the time of our life.
The challenge is productive use
of Our time.
Shift your thinking – 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 – 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 to
identify areas where you can free up even a small amount of time (the vital
20%) for centered engineered serendipity efforts. 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 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
principle helps me, flexibly, to 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.
I keep an open mind more than I
ever did before. The key ingredient to
engineered serendipity is a mindset 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 original routines. Sometimes, the most serendipitous encounters happen
when we least expect them.
Strike up a conversation with folks
who appear interesting. Explore
unexpected exhibits at the trade show, museum, and public fairground. I’m the
first to introduce yourself to new people. It was hard for me to break out of
my incarcerating Comfort Zone, 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 hidden connections or opportunities that might arise.
Nurturing the Seeds of Serendipity:
Having been introduced I don't
let chance 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 your continued interest.
Have you read the ‘Never
Eat Alone’ text? Go study it!
Problem-Solving and Creativity.
Master Core Creativity Techniques
(investing 20% Effort). This will equip
you with a solid toolkit of problem-solving frameworks, and tools for brainstorming
techniques. Having a strong foundation
in these core methods allows you to approach challenges strategically. Doing that yields 80% of solutions to later
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, engage in hobbies that stimulate different parts of my
brain, do yard work around my farmhouse, or spend time in nature. I do
physical work around my farmhouse and spend time outside in nature. I take a refreshing nap if I feel like it. This downtime allows our subconscious to make
unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, fostering a creative
breakthrough when we least expect it.
By taking these steps, we
increase the likelihood of serendipitous encounters to blossom into long-term
friendships, friendly collaborations, or perceive new career opportunities.
The ideal balance between
focused effort and serendipitous exploration will vary depending on your
specific goals and personality.
# # #
1. Learning and Exploration:
Focus on High-Quality Resources
(20% Effort). I dedicate time to curate
a select group of reliable sources (books, courses, podcasts, AI agents)
tailored to my interests. This intellectual core collection provides a strong
foundation of knowledge and sagacity.
I rely on and trust the Power
of Randomness (that 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. This deliberate
"randomness" can spark unexpected connections between seemingly
disparate concepts, igniting a spark of creativity or lead me down a
fascinating intellectual rabbit hole.
2. Networking and
Relationships
I Cultivate Meaningful
Connections (20% Effort). I invest time,
money and energy in building strong relationships with select groups of
individuals who inspire and support me. These core connections provide a
foundation of trust and reciprocity.
I Expand My Network Through
Serendipity (80% Serendipity). I put myself
in situations where I can meet new people from various backgrounds. I seek to attend
events with a diverse guest list, such as charity dinners, business lunch
meetings, and strike up conversations with strangers at gatherings. 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 simply enriching my
life with fresh perspectives.
3. Adventurism is a Mind Opener.
Have you visited Alaska lately? Go visit the South Sea Islands. Visit the Amazon. Africa.
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 social foundation (a 20%
investment) - we free up mental space (an 80% result) to be receptive to the
unexpected opportunities that serendipity encounters brings. The "80%
Serendipity" activities in turn open a larger pool of potential
connections and ideas, increasing the likelihood of a surprising and positive
outcome.
#
Bonus 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. By consciously creating opportunities for
serendipity and reflecting on the results, you significantly increase the
likelihood of experiencing those fortunate moments where surprise and
inspiration collide.
Richard Koch who re-invented the 20th century 80/20 principle 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.
© 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 #adventurism #socialnetworking
#continuingeducation #chatgpt
