We Plan, God Laughs

Something of a guiding principle for me, the phrase “We plan, God laughs” resonates with everyone. The old Yiddish proverb is a reminder that, in the grand scheme of life, our efforts to control the situations we face cannot actually guarantee the outcomes we expect. Fate, destiny, predestination—whatever your beliefs, we can all agree that the universe is bigger and more powerful than our itineraries. But instead of slipping under a tidal wave of panic and anxiety, take solace in the fact that it’s not a bad thing for your meticulous plans to take a backseat to real life.

In retrospect, leaving Corporate America in search of a gratifying but flexible and family-friendly career was my best move yet. But this wasn’t the original plan; this wasn’t what I had been working towards my whole life.

I have come to realize that our plans are merely supplementary to our actual fate, they’re just guidelines and moves driving us to our next destination. And should the endpoint be on the opposite pole of our original plan, that’s okay too.

So equip yourself with the tools to tackle surprise situations, especially when your plans go awry. Immerse yourself in what you are good at, hone in on the skills that are innate to you, and watch your inherent talents reroute your GPS—for the better.

No amount of checklists in the world can combat destiny, so plan accordingly.