Serendipity Quotes (Explaining Serendipity with Examples)
The following collection of quotes are about the concept of serendipity.
What is Serendipity?
The word ‘serendipity’ is derived from an old Persian fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip. In the story, three princes go out in search of a mythical creature and stumble upon things they weren’t searching for such as hidden treasure and their own pasts.
In modern times, serendipity is best defined as the luck or chance of finding something good without having been looking for it.
An unplanned, but positive discovery or occurrence. Unexpected good luck.
Serendipity Examples
Serendipity examples are clear in hindsight, and occur quite often in science and research. Perhaps one of the most famous cases of serendipity is the accidental (but highly beneficial) discovery of Penicillin by bacteriologist Alexander Fleming in 1928.
Other examples of serendipity that you might find in your own life, include:
- An unexpected, amazing job opportunity that you weren’t even looking for.
- Taking someone’s spot last minute at a conference and meeting your soulmate.
- Attempting to create a new invention, and while in the process you discover how to solve a completely different problem.
- Running late in the morning and missing the train, as frustrating as it seemed, led to you noticing $100 on the ground.
- The wrong directions lead you to discovering your favorite little bookstore.
Serendipity Quotes
“Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you’ve found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for.” Lawrence Block
“Sometimes life drops blessings in your lap without your lifting a finger. Serendipity, they call it.” Charlton Heston
“What possibilities exist here? What is presenting itself to me IN THIS MOMENT that I can use? In a very real sense, it’s meditation in motion, the practical application of an esoteric practice. And it relies on the acceptance of serendipity. Serendipity, the effect of accidentally discovering something fortunate.” Tom Bergeron
“Some of the greatest things, as I understand, they have come about by serendipity, the greatest discoveries.” Alan Alda
“What people call serendipity sometimes is just having your eyes open.” Jose Manuel Barroso
“The universe is always speaking to us… sending us little messages, causing coincidences and serendipities, reminding us to stop, to look around, to believe in something else, something more.” Nancy Thayer
Short Serendipity Quotes
“I have never chosen my next job. I focus on what’s in front of me, and serendipity steps in.” Susan Brooks
“Some people say coincidences are meaningful. That it’s the universe trying to tell you something.” Laurelin Paige
“One aspect of serendipity to bear in mind is that you have to be looking for something in order to find something else.” Lawrence Block
“I find that a great part of the information I have was acquired by looking up something and finding something else on the way.” Franklin P. Adams
“I always leave room for serendipity and chance.” Ken Stott
“Sometimes serendipity is just intention unmasked.” Elizabeth Berg
“I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.” David Levithan
“Serendipity always rewards the prepared.” Katori Hall
“Maybe the absence of signs is a sign.” John Cusack
“Life is full of surprises and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success. If you try to plan every step, you may miss those wonderful twists and turns. Just find your next adventure-do it well, enjoy it-and then, not now, think about what comes next.” Condoleezza Rice
“There’ll always be serendipity involved in discovery.” Jeff Bezos
“It’s a bizarre but wonderful feeling, to arrive dead center of a target you didn’t even know you were aiming for.” Lois McMaster Bujold
“Risk-taking, trust, and serendipity are key ingredients of joy. Without risk, nothing new ever happens. Without trust, fear creeps in. Without serendipity, there are no surprises.” Rita Gelman
Serendipity Love Quotes
“Do you think the universe fights for souls to be together? Some things are too strange and strong to be coincidences.” Emery Allen
“It’s all a series of serendipities with no beginnings and no ends. Such infinitesimal possibilities through which love transcends.” Ana Claudia Antunes
“There isn’t any questioning the fact that some people enter your life, at the exact point of need, want or desire – it’s sometimes a coincidence and most times fate, but whatever it is, I am certain it came to make me smile.” Nikki Rowe
Serendipity is a rare moment in everyday life, but it happens all the time even if we don’t recognize it as such. For example, most people would call finding $20 on the ground serendipity, but it happens so often that we don’t think twice about it. The only way to find true serendipity is to keep your eyes and mind open to the possibilities around you!
If you’re interested in more inspirational quotes and words, be sure to check out:
- Synchronicity Quotes (Inspired Messages & Meaningful Nudges)
- Carl Jung Quotes (Shadows, Acceptance & A Fulfilled Life)
- 30 Quotes on Intuition That Will Have You Listening
- 52 Inspirational Quotes on Consciousness
- 46 Law Of Attraction Quotes from Inspiring Thought Leaders
- 42 of The Most Powerful Quotes By Earl Nightingale
- 22 of the Greatest Abundance Quotes That Will Shift Your Thinking
