Do You Believe in Destiny?

From my young age, I kept hearing this affirmation about poverty: ” there is nothing you can do about this situation. It is your destiny and you will die like that.” I found this affirmation contrary to my dreams. Like I said in my postings previously, I wanted to be unique, different from everyone else. I wanted to reach the stars. The affirmations from the most experienced, grown up people were really not helping me.

I thought I had to go to school to find out more. I studied hard and was the first of my class. I earned the right to pursue high school studies. At that time and place, it was not as simple as you think. When I was in high school, I had a chance to study Philosophy. I was always excited to see my Philosophy teacher entering the classroom holding his old books. It was time for me to reconnect with my inner self and revisit my dreams.

This course defined clearly to me the word “destiny”. The teacher clearly explained that destiny referred to  a controlling Force that traced your route before you were born. You have to follow that route until you die. Even if you try to get off the tracks of poverty, the Force will grab you by the ears and get you back where you belong. He added  that this way of thinking was a mindset of passivity, a mindset of procrastination.

He noticed that everyone wants to sit down, relax  and get things done magically, for free. Most of the people want to live an easy life full of rights and void of responsibilities. The result is to blame unfortunate events,  other human beings or a certain supernatural Force for their failures.

By the time I was about to give in, he said to the classroom:” now , pay attention to this…” He wrote down on the board,  in big characters and underlined a world” Free Will”. He turned around and asked us:” Who can tell me what this means?”

I quickly replied:” It means I can have dreams.” He was very excited. He asked the classroom to repeat what I had just said. I felt a wonderful feeling in my heart. Then he said: ” not only you can have dreams, you can also make them become a reality.”

I am leaving the classroom now because it was more than forty years ago. I worked hard to write my memoire and complete University. I got a job of my dream, made money, bought properties and suddenly lost everything except my life and my dreams. With those two I rebuilt my a new life and accomplished things I had never dreamed of.

How did this happen? Was it a miracle? I kept thinking positively and knowing that ideas could become tangible realities. I invited a strong passion,  a burning desire to succeed, a profound belief in myself that I can achieve the life of my dreams.

I picked my ultimate goal, divided into small goals, created visual representations of those goals, created a plan and started working on it. I involved a few people who enjoy to encourage me on the thorny path to my ultimate goal.

I was always curious to learn new things, new ways of doing things. I refused to listen to people who told me that I was not ready to take on new responsibilities. I declined to repeat any words that were describing my weaknesses in a form of negative criticism. I energetically insisted on my strengths. Sometimes I felt too emotional about it.

However, I was not in the business of covering up my weaknesses. We need to recognize and welcome constructive criticism, acquire the required training or use other people’s skills to compensate our own shortcomings. I do this every day.

I studied and practised five different professions for many years. I hired and trained people to become managers of great teams of professionals. I helped them discover the best in them and get on the path to the life of their dreams. I learned from them the way they leaned from me. I am learning and planning every day. I am saying and feeling good things about myself, my family, my friends and acquaintances.

It all starts with a mindset. Erase destiny or fate from your mental dictionary and write down the word Free Will.