We often attribute breakthrough ideas and life-changing connections to pure chance—the unexpected meeting, the accidental discovery, the fortunate coincidence. Yet serendipity favors those who create conditions for it to flourish. Behind what appears to be luck lies a framework of habits, environments, and mindsets that transform random chance into meaningful discovery. Serendipity operates through a fascinating paradox: it requires both preparation and openness. Louis Pasteur famously observed that “chance favors the prepared mind,” noting that groundbreaking discoveries often come to those who possess the knowledge to recognize significance in unexpected observations. The scientist who notices an anomalous result, the writer who connects seemingly unrelated concepts, the entrepreneur who spots an…