We think we control our own destinies. But some would submit the question of “do we really control our destinies?” In other words, are there uncontrollable forces that rule our lives? It’s a serious question that must be answered…
Weplan out our lives based on this answer. If we can control our own results, then that would motivate us to work that much harder. But if we can’t, we would play a more conservative approach on life by letting go of what we would deem is uncontrollable. To find the answer, it depends on whom you ask. Those whom are wealthy and well-off would be more prone to say that positive destinies are gained through hard work. Those whom are poor and weak might say otherwise; life is too difficult to control your own destiny. So what is truth regarding this matter?
To be honest, only opinionated answers can be supplied. Some receive more help than others; some find life harder than the rest. So let’s not worry about opinionated responses, but rather on the facts. How can we do that? Not by the results, but by deeming what is controllable and what is not.
So what is controllable? We control things such as hobbies and work ethic — this leads to our ability to work. We control how we perceive things and what we do about what we perceive. We can aid some of the odds we face in life, such as less alcoholic consumption leads to fewer car accidents. We could be more detailed and make an entire list of what we can control.
But what is uncontrollable? We can’t control the environment that we’re raised up in. We can’t control the job opportunities around us. We can’t control the fluidity of a free market system or the odds we have a genetic disorder. We could also go on in this list as well. But for this list, you don’t have to be so detailed. General life issues can be included in this list.
So making a list of what we can or can’t control, we would not necessarily compare the number of bullets on the list. But more importantly, we would compare the importance of each item on the list. Seeing that the natural behavior is heavily dependent on the individual’s environment and genetics, this might lead to the conclusion that life is more uncontrollable than it is controllable. But make sure to stop here. Our choices of what we do with our environment and genetics would lead to the conclusion that we can control our life. So which outweighs the other?
It’s still up for debate as well as up to different opinions. But something to mention here is that there is at least part of life that we can’t control. And that part is significant. I would personally call this part, “the invisible hand.” It pushes us here or there in our lives. It makes things happen that we don’t see coming. Your distant friend passes away in a car accident, or you win the lottery. Next, we would ask the question of, “what is the invisible hand?” Those who are spiritual might automatically say this invisible hand is God. But again, we must make sure to stop here. God is an obvious possibility, but is it also possible that odds are at work here? Is it possible that events occur not necessarily because of God’s will, but rather their likelihood? Again, this is up for opinionated responses. But no one can deny that there is an “invisible hand” at work in our lives, whether it be God or nature.
