Curious about Destiny: Do We Shape and Control Ours? If So, How?

Definition of Destiny : (1)That to which any person or thing is destined; predetermined state; condition foreordained by the Divine or by human will; fate; lot; doom. (2)The fixed order of things; invincible necessity; fate; a resistless power or agency conceived of as determining the future, whether in general or of an individual.

I chose “Destiny” for this blog’s theme, because I am reading a fun and thought provoking book. The Ant and the Elephant – Leadership for the Self by Vince Poscente, spurred me to consider destiny. In this well written parable (you know how much I love stories), the ant, Adir, represents our conscious mind and the elephant, Elgo, represents our subconscious. The third character and mentor is the wise owl, Brio.

Brio questions Adir about what makes him feel “alive.” Adir realizes that “We don’t know what we don’t know.”

“He was frequently afraid of failure, and because of that, he hesitated to lead with confidence. This new information amazed Adir. Throughout his life he had wanted to change his destiny but had never known how. He was beginning to realize Brio was right – he needed to be a leader to himself before he could lead others.”

So, I ask again. Can we control and change our destiny? Many of the experts (my mentors) that I checked into believe so:

• “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” - William Shakespeare, English dramatist
• “Control your own destiny or someone else will.” - Jack Welch, American businessman
• “You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.” - Mark Victor Hansen, American businessman
• “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” - Tony Robbins, American author
• “Character is destiny.” – Heraclitus, Greek philosopher
• “As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time.” - Denis Waitley, American writer

And few more with a bit of a different twist:

• “Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny.” - Carl Schurz, German revolutionary
• “Everything happens for a reason. I'm used to it, I prepare for it. Like I say, at the end of the day, those in charge of their own destiny are going to do what's right for them and their family.” - Shaquille O'Neal, American athlete
• “Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.” - John F. Kennedy, American President
• “My goal was, and still is, to write first, direct my own stuff whenever possible and control my own creative destiny.” - Jeff Probst, American entertainer
• “The law of harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.” - James Allen, American author
• “I think that you have to believe in your destiny; that you will succeed, you will meet a lot of rejection and it is not always a straight path, there will be detours - so enjoy the view.” – Michael York, British actor

Two more to work on this coming week :

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for: it is a thing to be achieved.” - William Jennings Bryant, American politician

“I believe that you control your destiny, that you can be what you want to be. You can also stop and say, No, I won't do it, I won't behave his way anymore. I'm lonely and I need people around me, maybe I have to change my methods of behaving and then you do it.” - Leo Buscaglia, American author

What is your destiny for 2008? As Adir, the ant, works on what his core destiny is and why, I am “going for it.” Are you?