I wonder how many kids actually grow up to be what they dreamed? Not everyone can be a fireman or a ballerina or an astronaut. So, what can we learn from this?

Plans change.

I had a conversation with a close mate the other day that seemed a little desponded. He commented that he felt all his mates were overtaking him in life. Not so long ago he felt he had everything. At the time he loved his job, his girlfriend and his house. He felt like his plan was coming to fruition.

Fast forward to today and he is in a bit of a rut. He no longer enjoys his job and is no longer with his girlfriend. He has friends embarking on overseas adventures and others starting off in new relationships. Some are even starting new jobs. You could say that people around him are achieving his goals at the moment.

To try and help him move on and get the momentum back, he has been exercising a lot and keeping himself occupied. He is fit and healthy and still surrounded by a lot of good and caring friends.

But despite all this and the prospect of new employment, he still feels like he has lost control and he is no longer putting his plan in to action.

After the conversation, given the tumultuous past 12 months I have had, I reflected on the time and the ways by which I got through. Now my time turned out ok. I managed to stay employed for most of the time and have come out the other side with a great job at an excellent global agency. In fact, I look back and am grateful for being thrust outside my comfort zone.

I think the big leaning I have taken from this is that you can’t control life. You can control aspects of it, but there are overarching forces far greater than you at work and you have to trust that they know what the plan is for you.

The ability to let go and take things as they come to you is a surprisingly empowering feeling. You spend your time worrying about things you can change and forgetting about those you can’t.

You won’t get every job you go for. You won’t always get a second date. And chances are every light will be red when you are running late.

So these days, I just take a deep breath and keep on rolling.