(First appeared in WRAL TechWire.)

I don't know where you're at on your journey, but today I'm popping in to remind you that the best stuff is almost always found when we venture off the highway.

As you know by now, roadmaps are central to our business. One of our mottos is “Be a Traveler, not a Tourist,” and this is rooted in the firm belief that you have agency over your life. You’re not being herded in a tour bus to places you don’t want to see. Nor do you need to live your life married to the route Siri chose for you. You’re on a life journey, and your current route may be charted to take you from point A to B, but you have options. You don’t have to stay the course—especially not if somebody else chose it for you.

And why would you want to stay on autopilot when there are exciting off ramps to explore? These detours are the very experiences that can change your life journey entirely. If I’m driving somewhere and I see...