I don't know that things happen "for a reason."  If you can only connect the dots looking backwards, do they constitute a "reason?"

Well, they do constitute a "path."  This is your path. 

Whatever good happens in future, your past will be part of how you got there.

Koan #26

“I’m smart!”
“Why?”
“I flipped this coin, and it came up heads.”
“So?”
“I wanted it to be heads.”
“Flip it again.”
“No, I’m done with that.”
“What will you do now?”
“Tell other people how to flip coins.”

And the student was enlightened.

https://longform.asmartbear.com/survivor-bias/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_campaign=asmartbear_mastodon&utm_medium=social

Important (as ever) short piece from @doctorow on why housing is unaffordable and yet is apparently affordable “on average” —

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/24/i-dream-of-gini/

Everyone expects tech support to be a nightmare.

What if you turned it into a pleasant surprise?

That's an easy way to thrill customers and stand out. For companies of any size.

https://longform.asmartbear.com/tech-support-is-sales/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_campaign=asmartbear_mastodon&utm_medium=social

If you have a Pixel, or are thinking of getting one, or want to feel good about yourself for not having gotten one, you’ll definitely want to read @doctorow on un-disable-able tracking:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/08/water-thats-not-wet/

Every time you say “no” to a new thing, you’ve given yourself the gift of time, and attention, and energy, and focus.

The more “no,” the better.

Unless you’re in an “explore” phase in life, in which case, do the opposite.

Obsession brews in the quiet spaces — the walk, the shower, the drive, the middle of the night.

Then it explodes into the insight — during the podcast, during an unrelated comment, and again the middle of the night.

Obsession yields results, but not on schedule.

Everyone says "have passion to succeed," but you also need competence. And luck. And something that other people actually value.

Passion is not sufficient, sorry.