Does Everything Happen for a Reason?

I had a conversation with an ex-coworker today about the twists and turns that one's career can take. I know mine has seen constant change, too much actually. As I was writing her back, I typed "everything happens for a reason." Then I paused.

"Everything happens for a reason." Or, EHFAR.

Maybe you lost your job out of freaking nowhere. Maybe you learned your contract is going away in two weeks.

I wish I could believe everything happens for a reason. If you do believe that, it doesn't make you any more or less intelligent.

What life was like until 1980 or so

But my philosophy is that luck and pure chaos are responsible for like, 50% or more of what happens to us and the rest is self-made. The notions of fate, destiny and pre-ordained life paths are coping mechanisms.

50% luck and chaos. (And 50% is MIRACULOUS. Up until like 1990 when we were stuck in the dark ages, it was more like 80-90%).

We're 25 or so years removed from life expectancy being 30 and the risk of dying of horrible boils being a near certainty.

And now things are much better cause the internet and Netflix. But chaos and luck are still there, hiding until they decide to do shape our lives again. Thinking of tech...what would have become of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs had they entered the work force in 2009?

"Everything happens for a reason" is the brain's mechanism of trying to make sense of the chaos. People needed to make sense of it all in their minds, just to find the courage to face another day of fighting off wild boars back in the 90's.

Surprises happen in our careers and they can seem terrifying. I've been there and back. It's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel sometimes. If you think everything happens for a reason and that helps, go for it, man.

Our lives and careers are going to be full of ups and downs, hopefully more ups if we're competent AND fortunate.

Instead of thinking it's part of a grander scheme, I like to think that chaos brings out the best in many of us. One of the most valuable traits you can have as a professional adult, perhaps just as much as a being able to invent a new programming language, is the ability to rally off the mat.

Most of us have been blindsided and brought down at some point and will be again one day. But once you look make it to the other side, you can rationalize it by creating a different narrative than EHFAR. No, you made it happen yourself, not some invisible hand and that's a pretty damn rewarding feeling.