Sometimes Plan B can have the same desired outcome, but a different path for getting there.

Rule of thumb: Be skeptical of things you learned before you could read. E.g., religion.

Talk to people no one else is talking to. Who would have thought that giving a speech at a funeral at age 12 would introduce me to a man who would introduce me to my first business contact who would introduce me to several other important people in my life. That's luck. That's randomness.

If frequency with which you cite an education credential does not decrease over the course of your life, you’re not accomplishing very much.

I don't want to be normal. I want to be something else.

I to the We means that both the individual's effort and the power of the network matter, and they work in tandem. Someone with no skill won't get very far, no matter how strong the network. Similarly, someone with lots of skill but a weak network won't realize his or her fullest potential. So, you need both.

Taking on short term risk can involve switching jobs, joining new groups / associations in the area, launching a personal blog, running an experiment within your existing job. These are some practical ways to inject volatility into your life, and thus some risk.