Ahead of the curve
When you’re traveling ahead of the curve, it’s silly to imagine that the road will be straight and flat.
It’s actually more like a cliff. With bumps.
That’s all part of the deal. That’s why it’s not called the curve. You’re in the void, uncharted, ahead of what’s behind.
In fact, ahead of the curve, the weather is pretty lousy too. Often with catastrophic lightning storms.
On the other hand, if you choose to work inside this messy metaphor, you get the thrill of finding a new path instead of merely following the old one.