Allowing serendipity and deliberate planning to co-exist

I am reading "how will you measure your life".

One of the chapters talk about on deliberate planning and serendipity.

It is a topic that hits home. 

the author says both of those approaches apply in different conditions. 

and can be suitable ways of building a career and outside when applied.

My experience is a tad different.

If you don't close yourself off, and other opportunities will show up. they may not look like how you thought.

At different points in life, you need to work on a specific swim lane, and keep your head down.

but in larger scheme of things, that is a blip. One doesn't need to worry too much.

Be deliberate on that swim lane, while keeping yourself open. 

That is how life happens.

We build career and life over long periods.

Building with a deliberate mind and focusing on the end goal is a sure shot way to failure.

here is my biggest argument.

The deliberate way of life assumes that you know what you want.

But, we are malleable. We are ever changing.

It may surprise you If you look back and see, where you are today.

This is where you wanted to be. This was the target may be.

but today, it feels like you have further more miles to go.

That is how our mind is. 

So, starting with end in mind, forcing yourself into a deliberate path is a recipe for disaster.

The best model in my mind is 

1. Stay open. Opportunities may not look like how you have envisioned.

2. Spend time in evaluating these opportunities

3. Once you commit, put deliberate action in the short to medium term. Fail fast if you will, but put everything in it.

In my career this is how I have played out. and I have done well.

I am not CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, but this has served me well.