Destiny is not a matter of chance – William Jennings

Destiny is not a matter of chance: A wonderful quote by William Jennings about destiny and life. Although a part of me believes – everything in life is meant to be and I’m responsible for it – another part strongly believes in creating all the opportunities we deserve. There is joy in giving everything you got – at least this way, you’re not losing the fight even before it has started. In this article, we talk about the points of inspiration on destiny as a matter of choice vs chance.

Destiny is not a matter of chance meaning

I love this quote by William Jennings on destiny. I’m a huge fan of this line of thought which talks about taking control of your own life and in turn your own destiny as well. Another school of thought is about fatalism where you can’t change much. If it were a choice, I’d admirably follow life is not a matter of chance line of thought. It at least gives you a fighting chance. Or else, only the rich and privileged would keep winning whereas everyone else is doomed to wallow in failure.

Having said that, I do admit that some people are born with advantages. However, that doesn’t change your desire to dream or achieve things, does it? We all have to work with the cards we’re dealt with. I keep recalling this quote by Randy Pausch

The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people. If there’s anything I want to do so badly, I should have already done it

Randy Pausch Brick Walls Quote

Life is a matter of choice

At any point in life, we’re left with opportunities to make a decision. Whether to think, act, speak, seize – everything is a decision on its own. There is no perfect life nor a perfect decision. We have to make a decision and keep moving forward. The key questions to ask are:

• Is this getting me closer to my goals?
• Am I doing anything better at the moment?

Obviously, these questions aren’t an exhaustive list. But these point you in the right direction. If destiny was a matter of chance, then you’ve given up even before you’ve started. What about all the thoughts of defining your own life and carving a path for your future? And the thoughts of being fair to your dreams?

All these thoughts point in one direction – destiny is not a matter of chance. Life has more richness to it than just letting go and giving up. You ought to fight for what you truly believe is yours. And you ought to keep fighting because no one will give us what we want on a platter. If you’re down and thinking about the miseries of life – stop, think and redirect your energies. Life is a matter of choice and the decisions you make. They keep shaping your future every moment.

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 Bryan (Source)