Nothing is Discovered On Purpose
"My daddy taught to never do anything without a purpose." I've met people like that, though none quite so honest or self-aware. Your daddy was right, so far or it goes, but the purpose should never interfere with the opportunities for discovery, and the plan should never preempt spontaneity. Purposes get you out of the house and plans keep you moving when you're stuck. But the goal can blind you to the journey, and the plan can make you deaf to good fortune and hostile to coincidence. In the 60's and 70's, I rarely saw anyone in the mountains who wasn't clearly stating their purpose for being there. There'd be a fishing rod or rifle prominently displayed outside their backpack, and they'd always ask about their prospects for success up trail. The worst were the mountaineers. They'd pass silently with only a disdainful glance at my gear. I once almost bought an ice ax, just to deflect their derision. The first question that occurs to most A...