Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected

Seeing through to the end of a goal, a project, or a task can be a challenge, especially if you are dealing with twists and turns you never saw coming. Life, however, is all about surprises: the job offer you never expected to take, the person you never expected to love, and the challenges that seem to get in our way just as we believe we’re making progress.

The key to success, then, is not avoiding these challenges but embracing them. To do that, you must be willing to be open to the unexpected and learn to engineer the unexpected. No matter the path you’re headed on, surprises are inevitable.


When facing these surprise opportunities, take some time to pause and reflect. This momentary reflection gives you the chance to take stock of the situation, to explore what’s in front of you, and to make a decision regarding the course of action. Whether it’s choosing to work with a difficult client or taking a course of study that’s unfamiliar to you, pause to consider whether the surprise can help you meet your goal or otherwise benefit you in some way.

After pausing to reflect, be brave and welcome the surprise. Do something out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself with new strategies. This could vary from starting a new side business to mentoring someone in your field who is just starting out. But this practice of welcoming surprises helps to make the unpredictable more predictable. Instead of running from the unknown, you are taking it head on and adapting to whatever comes your way.

Also remember that engineering the unexpected can result in amazing success. We all have heard about the countless successes attributed to serendipity, chance encounters, and creative ideas that come out of nowhere.

Don’t wait for these moments to happen accidentally: engineer them.

Seek out opportunities to network, join professional societies, attend conferences, and be open to any conversations that come up in the natural course of life. Meet and talk with people outside your normal circle and don’t shy away from a strangers’ deal—many successful stories begin with an unknown handshake.

Continue to create strategic partnerships and find new ways of doing business. Identify outcomes and plan how to reach them. Be willing to do things that aren’t quite in the script. Take a risk and stretch yourself by trying something you wouldn’t normally do.

Also, practice being spontaneous and flexible. Some of the best things happen when we go in a completely different direction. So don’t stick to a rigid plan, let go of preconceived notions, and welcome the wonderful unknown.

In the end, by embracing surprise to engineer the unexpected, you open yourself up to new opportunities, new people, and potentially incredible experiences. Open yourself up to surprise, and be open to surprises that can change the course of your future.