People forget how much serendipity has affected their lives, so they insist that pushing harder is the only solution.
I have many conversations like this:
Me: How did you get your current job?
Them: Via a friend/friend of a friend; or I met someone on the golf course; or something came out of left field at the last moment.
Me: How about the last job?
Them: Yeah, kinda the same.
Me: How did you meet your spouse?
Them: Yeah, about the same.
Me: How'd your kids get into school?
Them: Same story.
Me: How did you get out of trouble or solve some other seemingly intractible problem?
Them: Yeah, kinda the same.
Me: So what about easing off the trying pedal, and letting things happen?
Them: Maybe.
Two weeks later...
Them: Hey Naf, you'll never guess what happened to me!