Writing · 20 Jan 2026
Change Keeps Coming
The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd
Suggested by a friend in thinking, I just finished reading the book 'The Pathless Path' by Paul Millerd. It sits right next to Brad Stulberg's 'Master of Change' on my mental shelf for the same reason: both quietly push back against the urge to cling to what's safe, familiar, or "supposed to be.". What if you step off the scripted ladder and into uncertainty, what do you need to thrive?
In The Pathless Path, Paul tells his story of stepping off the 'default path' (prestigious job, status, the whole thing) and into uncertainty. He calls it the 'pathless path': trading external approval for curiousity, experiments, and a life shaped around what actually feels alive, even when it's messy and unclear. It's personal, reflective, no quick fixes, but it is very inspiring as it urges you to look at your own path from a different angle.
Master of Change takes a similar heartbeat but zooms in on the skill of it. Brad talks about "rugged flexibility": holding steady to your core values while bending and evolving as life shifts. He contrasts fighting for the old normal (homeostasis) with actively adapting to find new balance (allostasis). Change isn't the enemy: it's the arena where growth happens, through realistic expectations, small actions, reflection, and tragic optimism (acknowledging the hard stuff without letting it stop you). Read my post on Brad's book here.
Conclusion
Both books share one truth: life changes constantly, and resisting it will hurt you more than flowing with it. One invites you through personal story to leave the scripted career ladder and build work and identity around what feels truly alive. The other gives practical tools. The real work isn’t controlling change: it’s meeting it with more openness and less fear.