There's a Chinese word that's been stuck in my mind recently: "hào qí" (好奇).
It means curiosity — a feeling of mystery, wonder, and surprise. And for some reason, it reminds me of how life has felt lately — the serendipitous nature of it all. The sudden turns. The stupid luck. The strange fortune. Whatever you want to call it, life seems to throw it our way.
Sometimes it's the smallest, most trivial moments that end up shaping everything.
Sometimes it's in the things you choose to do — taking that trip, signing up for that freshman class where you meet the girl of your dreams. Sometimes it's in the things you don't do — missing a flight that would have gone awry, just avoiding the car that swerved across the road. And when you look back, you realize: had you not made that one seemingly inconsequential choice, your life might look entirely different.
Meanwhile, the decisions you once agonized over — the ones you stressed about as if they were life-or-death — often fade into irrelevance.
The problem is: in the moment, you never know which is which. So how should you approach life, knowing that?
Go for density of spontaneous interactions
The more collisions you allow yourself, the more chances for magic. Being in college, or in a city buzzing with talent, compounds the likelihood of serendipity — much like a nuclear reaction does when the particles are packed close together. Conferences, clubs, events, shared apartments — all of these create the kind of density where unexpected opportunities appear.
Take swings at events with asymmetric payoff
Most moments don't matter. A few matter a lot. You don't want to miss those. If you meet someone who feels truly special, talk to them. If a door opens to something rare, step through it. These moments are unusual, but their impact can be massive compared to the cost of trying.
Don't mistake superficial sparks for the real thing. Looks fade; depth and substance last. It's the uncommon moments of true resonance that are worth the swing.
Avoid the risk of ruin
Life is a long, iterative game. The only real way to lose is to be forced out of the game entirely. That could mean recklessness with your health, carelessness with your reputation, or a gamble so large you can't recover. Protect the ability to keep playing. Compounding only works if you're still in the game.
· · ·
Over time, I've become convinced that this framework matters most in three areas:
- What you do.
- Where you live.
- Who you're with.
These three choices determine 95% of your life's trajectory and happiness. They ripple through everything else.
So choose wisely. But also — stay open. Because when you carry a spirit of curiosity, wonder, surprise — life has a way of surprising you back.
And sometimes, if you let it, the magic will choose you too.