Luck
We like to think we have been masterful guides of our fate. But the truth is that ‘sliding door’ moments have shaped our lives in some of the most amazing and meaningful ways.
CASCO, MAINE — In the spring of 1992, a letter arrived at John Neilson High School in Paisley. My mum was the school secretary. She opened the letter: if your school has any football players that want to play at a Collegiate level and study in the United States, I can help them out. My mum smuggled home a copy for me (I went to a different school, so would not have seen this).
In the week that followed, I wrote handwritten airmail letters (yes, the old blue paper kind) to the institutions referenced in the letter. At this point, I’d been accepted to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the highly selective journalism program at Napier University. But when you are 17 these decisions come quickly and easily. The incoming head coach of Plymouth State College called me after he’d received my letter. We talked a few times. I was hooked by his energy, enthusiasm for the game, and his excitement about the new season ahead.
Thirty-four years later, we stood together in the stands at Gillette Stadium watching Scotland beat Haiti in the World Cup, only the fourth such victory in the country’s history. Had it not been for my mum snagging a copy of that letter, who knows where we might have been.
I’ve been reflecting on serendipity a lot this summer. It’s played such a huge factor in what has led me here. Whether it was my dad coming home from lunch and barely catching the call that set my career on its path. The lunch lady at Plymouth State setting me up with a semi-formal date because she played the bagpipes. Or my mum bringing home a copy of that letter.
Millions of gallons of ink have been used (wasted?) on millions of leadership books, exploring the traits that lead to successful lives. Dedication, hard work, resilience, intelligence, curiosity. We shouldn’t dismiss these things or diminish them. We all hope that we and our kids have these attributes.
But it’s now understood that pure luck plays a greater role in our lives than we ever imagined. From where we’re born, our names, the millions of permutations, roads less travelled that we could have taken and either didn’t or did.
The lesson is surely to be open to opportunity. That doesn’t mean you always have to jump at them, but sometimes we can be so averse to risk or the unknown that we miss what could have been - often is - a life changing, mind-expanding experience. Like leaving everything and everyone you know behind, getting on a plane to New Hampshire when you’re 17 with one suitcase, knowing only one human being in a continent you’d never experienced. Sounds dumb with hindsight…
That Plymouth State team did pretty well. We made it to three post-season berths during my four years as a Panther. The team went on to greater things in the years that followed under Head Coach, Shawn Griffin’s leadership. He re-established the team as among the best in New England before moving to Hobart College where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame after a remarkable 25-year career there and another season in the NCAA tournament.
In addition to going to the Haiti game together, Shawn and me will be inducted into our conference Hall of Fame together later this year. It will be a special moment for us. We and our families have become close friends, and it has been a privilege to be part of his incredible journey and life. He is everything a great coach should embody. He stresses culture over all else, and builds teams of players that play for each other, the greatest attribute any player can bring to the pitch. But more importantly, he’s a great human. And if you believe in the power of serendipity and are willing to take the plunge every now again, you get to meet inspirational, life-changing people along the way. In short, I got lucky.
Thanks for following along on the Summer Stack. I didn’t post from my visit to Duke University which was fabulous. The highlight was a visit with the lemurs! Sneaky snap below.
This week up to Maine for July 4 and then across the pond to Scotland for a special visit.
Our family was so lucky to meet you and Shawn. You are always part of our family.❤️
This one got me all emotional. Thank you for sharing this, dear friend!! So glad you’re here on Substack!