Are you an accidental tourist?

Timing is everything
Happy coincidences are often a matter of fortuitous timing. Lisa Scalia, who is also a tour guide, remembers a recent vacation to New England with her husband. They were looking for fall foliage, but they found more than that. “One day he noted we were near Lime Rock racetrack, so we drove over to see it and found out it was media day for an upcoming race,” she told me. “We ended up being invited to participate in all the activities set up for the press — which we were not — like driving on a slick track, driving a road course with a professional driving instructor, and enjoying lunch — all for free, just because we were in the right place at the right time. Very cool.” Had Scalia stuck to her schedule that day, she might have missed the best part of her foliage tour.

One more thing: The line between a happy accident and an unhappy one isn’t always clear. Take the case of professional triathlete Brendan Brazier, who was hit by a car while cycling in, Canada, and had to take the season off. That’s when he stumbled upon the idea of writing and self-publishing a book about his vegan diet and fitness regime. The manuscript featured recipes for plant-based shakes, drinks and energy bars that Brazier created.

Eventually, the book caught the interest of a publisher, and turned into a line of food products. All because of one traffic accident.

So was that accident desirable or not? In the short-term, no. But the long-term consequences were arguably positive for Brazier’s career.

In other words, even a bad accident can sometimes turn out for the best.