How to Break the Mold

Using Nonlinear Paths

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“I always knew I wanted to be something more than where I started, but I had no idea I’d ever own the company I did.” -Chairman

In my work, I sometimes have the privilege to speak to career veterans, such as the Chairman above, and there’s a pattern I’ve noticed across the landscape. While every one of them was ambitious, they didn’t *really* know where they would end up in their careers—from the executive positions they would occupy to the businesses they would own, start, or sell.

Successful people often seem to go through a series of unpredictable events that, only in hindsight, seem perfectly orchestrated. It all makes sense looking back, but they could never have seen it looking forward. Doors open and opportunities present themselves, that you never could have imagined. If they had forced a linear path, their scale may never have happened. 

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The journey of the top .01% is often nonlinear. They wind up in places they could not have anticipated—but by navigating the unpredictability of their careers, taking chances, and reliably making the next right move for them. It all led them to the places they sit today.

Ultra successful people embrace the power of nonlinear paths—and it's time you challenge yourself, to see if this might just give you an edge as well. Here’s how to do it, and what it requires.