Creating Our Own Destiny

"Each of us is master of his or her own destiny." (Isabel Allende, Ines of My Soul, 286)

How can we control our own destiny? Do we do what is expected of us and leave it up to fate or do we take matters into our own hands? If we want to be rich, do we wait for Publishers Clearing House to come knocking on our door with a big check? We know this will likely never happen. However, if we truly want something to happen, then we need to focus on what we want and create our own destiny.

This reminds me of a story in Robert Kiyosaki's book, Rich Dad Poor Dad. Robert is a nine year old boy who wants to earn some money. He works extremely hard for his friend's dad making very little money. He soon realizes there has to be a better way to earn money than what he is doing. At this point, he takes his destiny into his own hands and looks for a better way to earn the money. Opportunity comes in finding discarded comic books. He and his friend open up a comic book library and employs his friend's sister to run it for $1 a week. They allow kids to come read the comics for a small fee. Soon they are making $9.50 a week without even having to run the business. This is a prime example of taking control of your destiny. Robert wanted a better way to earn money, put his mind to it and achieved it.

That is how I think of Ines as well. She never settled for what was expected. She was constantly taking control of her destiny. The example that comes to mind best is when Pedro boots her out and she is ordered to leave Chile. Instead of accepting this news, she focuses on how she can stay in Chile. She then takes her destiny in her own hands and proposes to Rodrigo. She then becomes his wife allowing her to stay in Chile. We could all learn from Robert and Ines in focusing on what we want and creating our own destinies.