Doris Day Effect
The notion that a setback or obstacle on a given path provides an opportunity for another path that in turn becomes potentially much more fruitful.
Origin
Named for singer and actress Doris Day, who at age 15 suffered a car-train collision in 1937 that shattered her right leg and ended her promising dance career. During her long recovery, she discovered her singing voice, launching a path to stardom she never would have found otherwise. Economist Tim Harford popularized the term, citing research showing that young scientists who narrowly lost grant funding went on to publish more highly cited work than those who narrowly won.
Everyday Use
So many of our paths look inevitable in hindsight — and we tell ourselves stories to match the lives we have built for ourselves. But it's helpful to acknowledge that some of the best paths started off as unknowns, and even when we look towards a future that we feel we are guiding ourselves towards, that the obstacles in our paths might serve us better than our own plans, so long as we are open to the possibility — even if only in hindsight.