You're about to graduate from college with honors. You've made a few industry connections. You've laid out your career path. Everything looks like it will go according to plan--until it doesn't.
When we asked this year's 40 Under 40 what advice they would give their 20-year-old selves, we heard a variation of the same answer: Ditch the plan and trust your gut instead.
"Many college students get stuck in the trap of feeling like they have to go into a certain industry or line of work because all of their peers are doing it or because on-campus recruiting pushes you in that direction," says Matt Salzberg, co-founder and CEO of Blue Apron. "Many 20-year-olds don't realize that there are many possible paths to success."
Here are the best nuggets of wisdom from Fortune's 40 under 40:
Katrina Lake, founder and CEO, Stitch Fix (No. 29)
I would encourage myself not to be so focused on specific career paths. As I've gotten to know many executives, few people take a predictable and straight path from A to B. I would encourage myself to broaden my lens of career interests knowing it won't define where I end up.
Adam Grant, professor of psychology, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (No. 28)
You're too intensely focused on your goals. Develop your peripheral vision--you'll open yourself up to better learning opportunities.
Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin, co-founders, The Skimm (No. 38)
Danielle: Be confident that it will all work out how it should.
Carly: Don’t be so attached to your plans, enjoy the adventure.
Tim Ferriss, author and host, ‘The Tim Ferriss Show’ (No. 28)
You are the average of the five people you associate with most. Also, don’t try to be normal. Use the fact that you’re weird.
Hooi Ling Tan, co-founder, Grab (No. 17)
Take opportunities and risks, go out of your comfort zone, and don't look back in regret. Make the best decisions based on the information available, and just go with the flow. Don't try to plan a perfect and fixed path for your future self. Experience, learn, adapt and continue to grow. And just as importantly, enjoy the learning process.
Joel Gay, CEO, Energy Recovery (No. 13)
I was quite the jock at that point of my life and was playing soccer professionally in Belgium. For an inexplicable reason, I dyed my hair bleach-blonde. My advice? 'Ditch the hairdo, guy.'
Joe Zadeh, vice president of product, Airbnb (No. 22)
Trust your gut more. I had a lot of ideas that people said were crazy (e.g., joining Airbnb as an early employee) and I've never been disappointed when I trusted my gut. It's the times I didn't listen to it that I regret.