Rachel Carlson (Twitter, LinkedIn) would tell you that it’s great to have a plan. But sometimes you have to throw out the plan. She’s the Co-founder and CEO of Guild Education, a company that helps employers design and offer education-as-benefit programs to employees. 

“You’re not in charge of the plan. You can plan, but what do they say? Planning is everything, but the plan is worthless. And the plan gets thrown out the door sometimes.”

Rachel had a very specific plan for her life. But, as usual, it didn’t happen exactly the way she expected. At each turn, she was presented with new challenges. But she didn’t quit or give up. She took on the challenges and learned new skills that would end up helping her through each step of her journey. With each success, she gained confidence and conviction. She learned how to sell and influence others. She learned how to form critical partnerships and recruit great team members. And those partnerships and team members helped her build Guild Education, a company helping millions of working adults gain access to the education they need.

Most business don’t unfold exactly the way we expect. What starts out as a grand vision, often turns into unexpected twists and turns. But if you’re willing to look for the opportunities, these “interruptions” can sometimes lead to even greater insight and success.