[edshiro]

But you need to be prepared to seize opportunities that are congruent with your aspirations; in fact sometimes you need to make these opportunities happen.

Planning therefore is important, but because so many things in between happen, your plan should consist of a far reaching vision so as to allow you to learn along the way, including taking paths that may end up in temporary setbacks. If you don't fail, you don't learn.

[ivm]

And while you're learning, your attitude and world understanding constantly changes so much that you trash the plans of naive older self almost yearly, no?

[edshiro]

Absolutely true. I have changed and changed and changed, and keep changing my world view over time. Some of my core principles though (honesty, fairness, empathy, strong family ties, etc.) remain; and hopefully will stay this way forever :).