This past Sunday, within the span of a single hour, luck found me twice.
First: I was waiting in a hotel lobby when Sidney Crosby walked by. (Yes. That Sidney Crosby.) I could have stayed in my seat. Instead, I got up, walked over, and said something to the effect of — my daughter is a huge fan, would you mind a photo? Mildly embarrassing. Completely worth it. (If you’ve seen my recent post (here) about our hockey weekend together, you’ll understand why that selfie means everything.)
Second: At lunch, I could have just eaten quietly. Instead, I leaned over to the couple next to me and said the lemon ricotta pancakes were amazing. That small, slightly awkward opener turned into a 45-minute conversation about children, writing books, and life. Perspective-shifting. Genuinely wonderful.
Two uncomfortable little moments. One hour. Luck found me both times.
Not because I’m lucky. Because I moved.
Luck finds you when you’re in motion. Not when you’re waiting for it.
When you’re at the Launch Point of the S Curve™ — that slow, uncomfortable beginning — it can feel like the unluckiest place to be. But it’s actually your most receptive state. You’re observant. Curious. Open to what you couldn’t have planned.
That beginner’s openness — that luminous uncertainty — is where serendipity finds its entry point.
(There’s something fitting about writing this on St. Patrick’s Day, with a rainbow outside the window during the recording of my new LinkedIn Learning course. Some days, the metaphors just show up.)
Disrupting yourself doesn’t always mean blowing up your life. Sometimes it means getting up from the table. Starting the conversation. Stepping onto a new curve — or simply moving further along the one you’re already on.
Either way, you are disrupting yourself. Stepping back from who you are toward who you could be.
Which brings me to your gift.
My new LinkedIn Learning course — Disrupting Yourself — is live. And in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day yesterday, I want to extend your lucky day!
I’ve posted the course link on my LinkedIn profile (here), which will give you free access to the course for the first 24 hours after you click it.
And I’d love to hear from you: When did you just start moving — and luck showed up? Drop a comment, reply to this email, or share it with someone who needs a nudge.
To your growth, and the luck just around the curve,
Whitney
P.S. That’s me and the rainbow. Luminous uncertainty never looked so good.