Serendipity Series 1
It’s a Small World (After All) is a Disney attraction that originated at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Yet it has outlasted new technology and the thrill-inducing attractions that ever increasingly compete with this old Disneyland and Disney World staple.
Most of us are unaware that the Sherman brothers intended their repetitive melody, which is still the backbone of the old attraction, as a response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Walt Disney had asked them to compose a song for the attraction that could be translated into many different languages. Their unforgettable accomplishment is a testament to the transferrable message of hope, bringing us together when our fears threaten to divide us.
I run a collaborative divorce practice. The last word people expect to hear when they come into my office is “serendipity,” but my belief in the power of the unknown guides, not only my life, but also my business. One of the lessons I have learned is that it is human nature to attach meaning to people, places, and inanimate objects, and even to things we cannot see, but that we can feel.
The description for the movie Serendipity contends, “When love feels like magic, it is called destiny; when destiny has a sense of humor, it is serendipity.” This phenomenon has radically altered the course of my life through the different people I’ve encountered over time.
One thing’s for sure; serendipity does have a sense of humor. In the stories that follow over the next year, I will share why I’m so convinced that “everything happens for a reason.” We often try to separate our professional and personal lives, but, in my experience, they are the same. Relationships are the foundation of any successful business. We must empathize in, relate to, and nurture those relationships.
As people invest in us, we must also invest in them.
So, if the transaction of business is relational, then we must build those relationships. If you’re struggling to do that, then you need to learn the art of the social pitch. It’s how we communicate with those standing in line with us, waiting for our turn at Splash Mountain, who we are and how we live our lives with purpose. The person ahead of you might retain you or might be another lawyer with whom you can team on your next collaborative matter.
Serendipity is about embracing what comes next in life and remaining open to the opportunities that come your way. It’s about knowing that things happen for a reason and that things fail to happen for a reason, as well.
I hope you will join me in celebrating the randomness of it all because, when we do, love feels like magic.
For more on how to market your professional practice, reach out to me at Joryn@JorynJenkins.com or find me at Your Collaborative Marketing Coach, because your marketing is my marketing!
