Serendipity is another word in the luck family. Invented by Horace Walpole in 1754, it appropriately began life as a misprint. Walpole wrote a letter to Horace Mann developing the idea of serendipity from a 'silly fairytale' about chance called The Three Princes of Serendip. But Walpole had made a mistake: the real title of the story was The Three Princes of Sarendip {the ancient name for Sri Lanka}.
📖 Ed Smith
Serendipity is closely related to luck and was first coined by Horace Walpole in 1754 due to a typographical error. Walpole was writing to Horace Mann, drawing inspiration from a tale he referred to as The Three Princes of Serendip, which is actually a misreference, as the correct title is The Three Princes of Sarendip, an old name for Sri Lanka.
This notion of serendipity highlights the happy accidents and unexpected discoveries that can occur in life. It reflects the essence of finding something valuable or enjoyable without actively seeking it, thus connecting it to the broader theme of luck explored in Ed Smith's book, "Luck: What It Means and Why It Matters."
