Unintended Rewards And Surprises……

I just returned from a quick 3-day trip to New York City with my wife and my oldest son. This is an update from a blog post I did a few weeks ago when we were planning our trip and having challenges finding appropriate lodging. You can check out the quick read HERE.

Whenever we go on a trip, especially on vacation, we are big on planning to make sure that we get to everything we want to see and do. The last thing we want is to get somewhere and say, “what do you want to do now?” So, we planned this trip almost down to the hour.

Upon arrival, we checked into our very small hotel room which I mentioned in the previous blog post. It was very nice, but thank goodness we would not be spending a lot of time there. Since it was 9/11, we made our way to the 9/11 memorial site to pay our respects. This is something that we have been wanting to do for years.

That experience changed everything for me. It was so moving it made me reflect on everything that I have and everyone in my life and how all that can go away in the blink of an eye. It was no longer just a place to check off the bucket list, it became a very important part of the trip.

We decided right then and there that while we would follow our itinerary, we would be open to the possibilities of deviating to enjoy the moments and each other and not to be so stressed about accomplishing everything on our agenda.

So off we went with the new attitude of let the “vibe of the city take over.”

Oh, we got to do just about everything on our list. But we became very creative in how we accomplish the list. We took less Ubers and took more trains. It not only allowed us to save a bunch of money, but also allowed us to interact with the city in a way that locals do every day.

Meals became more experiences rather than just food. We even went to two separate zoos if you can believe it. We took a middle of the night Open Top Bus Tour to experience the nightlife of The City That Never Sleeps. We did so much and allowed our momentum to carry us to places that we had not considered.

One of the main reasons that we went on this trip was for a baseball game to watch the NY Mets play against our favorite team, the Texas Rangers. And yes, the good guys won. 😊 On the way home from the game we accidentally went down the wrong street on our way back to the hotel. Instead of turning around and going back the “correct way,” we decided to continue down the street just to see what this vibrant part of the city had offer.

During our walk, my son noticed that there was a big tour bus with the Savannah Bananas baseball team logo on it. For those of you that do not know who the Savannah Bananas baseball team is, it is a special baseball team that is redefining how baseball can be fun in a different and unique way. There are so many unique and fun details about this team to explain so you just might want to google it or watch them on YouTube.

We wondered if that was actually the Savannah Bananas. A little further down the street there was a hotel, and we noticed a bunch of athletic young men in the hotel lobby. We walked in and I just asked if they were The Savannah Bananas and they said they were. What a treat! We met and took selfies with the team!

We immediately decided that we were going to go to the game the following night as we discovered they were playing in NYC. Now this is special as this game was going to be played in front of 49,000 fans in the iconic Yankee Stadium. If we had not decided to explore a street that we did not intend to travel on, we would have missed this opportunity. Not only did we meet the team, but we went to a game that we had no idea was going to be played. The game was fantastic! We are huge baseball fans, but this was one of the best baseball experiences I have ever been privileged to attend.

I could go on and on about this trip and the many unexpected surprises and rewards that we experienced just because we decided to let the opportunities come to us and be willing to deviate from a strict agenda.

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

When we sit down to build our businesses, many of us start the same way we plan a vacation. We have a detailed itinerary. We want to hit all the “big stops” on the business roadmap such as set up a website, grow an audience, make sales, scale operations, etc.

And while it’s smart to prepare, the truth is that the biggest breakthroughs often come when you step off the map. Just like my family’s trip to New York, sticking too tightly to the plan can cause you to miss opportunities you never even knew existed.

The online business world is changing by the day. New tools, platforms, and strategies are constantly emerging. If you’re locked into a strict agenda, you may overlook possibilities that could expand your reach, multiply your income streams, or bring you unexpected partnerships.

Sometimes the best move isn’t the one you wrote down last month. It’s the one you stumble onto because you allowed yourself the freedom to look around.

That doesn’t mean you throw away the plan entirely. Just like our NYC trip, you still keep the essentials in sight. But the magic happens when you leave some space for creativity, exploration, and surprise.

The willingness to “go down the wrong street” in business can reveal hidden rewards you’d never have scripted into your journey.

Here are five reasons to stay open to opportunity in business:

1. Fresh perspectives – Exploring new tools, communities, or platforms can give you ideas you’d never consider.
2. Unexpected connections – That “wrong turn” might lead you to a mentor, collaborator, or client who changes everything.
3. Creative problem-solving – Flexibility often reveals easier, cheaper, or smarter ways to get things done.
4. Momentum and motivation – New surprises keep business from becoming stale, and that energy fuels growth.
5. Bigger-than-planned wins – Sometimes what you didn’t plan for turns out to be more valuable than the original goal.

The key is balance. You don’t want to wander aimlessly, but you also don’t want to be so rigid that you miss the banquet laid out right in front of you. Running an online business requires strategy, yes, but also curiosity. The best entrepreneurs are explorers at heart willing to try, willing to pivot, and willing to say yes to doors that open unexpectedly.

Where in your business have you been clinging too tightly to the itinerary? Is there a “wrong street” you need to walk down? Maybe it’s trying out a new marketing platform, launching a product you’ve been hesitant about, or simply reaching out to someone you’ve admired from afar. You never know. The next big surprise could be waiting just around the corner.

Don’t just build your business, experience it. Stay open, stay curious, and stay willing to deviate when the moment calls for it. That’s where the real rewards often live.

Take five minutes today to write down one area in your business where you’ll allow yourself to experiment or explore outside your normal plan. Then, go take that step. Who knows? It might just lead to your own version of a Savannah Bananas moment.

Now I’m about to deviate from my regular work day schedule and get some lunch early. I don’t know why, but I’m craving a hot dog bought from some guy on the corner or maybe a slice of pizza that you have to fold in half to eat. 😊

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.” – Helen Keller

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

I made a list of things to do today. Step one: Lose the list.  Mission accomplished.

I told my wife I’d take her somewhere fancy in New York… so I took her to the 7-Eleven with the clean bathroom.

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

 

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