Read time: 5 minutes
The Unseen Hand of Serendipity and Luck in Creativity and Success
Why It Matters
Can you imagine Jazz without the saxophone?
Adolphe Sax was the son of Charles-Joseph Sax, an instrument maker who made wind and brass instruments and clearly influenced Adolphe's future career.
But Adolphe survived a remarkable number of near-death experiences in his early life, earning him the nickname "little Sax, the ghost."
Here are just a few:
- Fell three floors, hit his head on a stone, and was thought to be dead.
- Drank a bowl of acidic water.
- Was seriously burned in a gunpowder explosion.
- Survived poisoning and asphyxiation – three times!
His mother said, “he's a child condemned to misfortune; he won't live.”
It could have easily turned out differently. But it didn't.
I can’t imagine my life without Wayne Shorter or John Coltrane. Maybe they would have played another instrument, but it would not have been the same.
The Resistor
Chance's Role in Creativity. 🤔
Many creative people minimize the importance of happy accidents or unexpected events that can lead to a breakthrough or inspire a new artistic direction. Instead they choose to believe their success will only be a result of deliberate effort and purpose.
The challenge for you is to capture the things that feel like chance.
Small random things that can have an outsized impact.
Consider the song “Yesterday”.
A Signal Path
A Dreamy Melody
The story behind "Yesterday" demonstrates how a small element of chance and serendipity can carry on for generations.
Paul McCartney didn't consciously labor over writing one of the most beloved melodies of all time, it came to him in a dream, a gift from his subconscious mind.
Here is Paul talking about his experience.
"I woke up with a lovely tune in my head. I thought, ‘That’s great, I wonder what that is?’ There was an upright piano next to me, to the right of the bed by the window. I got out of bed, sat at the piano, found G, found F sharp minor 7th – and that leads you through then to B to E minor, and finally back to E. It all leads forward logically. I liked the melody a lot but because I’d dreamed it I couldn’t believe I’d written it. I thought, ‘No, I’ve never written like this before.’ But I had the tune, which was the most magic thing. And you have to ask yourself, ‘Where did it come from?’ But you don’t ask yourself too much or it might go away…There are certain times when you get the essence, it’s all there. It’s like an egg being laid – not a crack or flaw in it.”
For a long time it was simply known as “Scrambled Eggs”. (Try to sing it with the melody)
If he hadn't woken up from that dream with that lovely tune held in his memory, the world may never have heard "Yesterday."
Creative insights often arise spontaneously from the depths of the psyche, outside of the control of the creator.
Sometimes, luck plays a huge part in creative success. A sudden idea, a piece of advice, or something you read can turn a simple work into something amazing.
Three Cats
✅ Idea: Reflect back the greater mystery of your wanderings
🔺 Process: Let the pattern teach you
🔹 Result: The darkness is a stepping stone to a new form
Switch to Action
“We are quick to forget that just being alive is an extraordinary piece of good luck, a remote event, a chance occurrence of monstrous proportions.”
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Chance Journaling
Take 10 minutes today and reflect on a moment in your life when a seemingly random or insignificant event led to a significant change or realization. Describe the event and explore how it influenced your creative or life direction. What did this moment teach you about the power of luck and randomness? How can you become more open to the unexpected gifts of chance in your daily life and creative pursuits?
Go Deeper
Read the full story of “Yesterday”.
3 Books I like on this idea:
- Chase, Chance, and Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty by James H. Austin
- Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts by Annie Duke
- Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Looking for other ways to play with chance? Try the Resiliter Creative Cards