Is Destiny Real? I Think So (an artist’s take on fate)
Nobody in my family played music or made art. But my mom decided to keep her old acoustic guitar around from childhood — it must’ve been nostalgic. Its strings were rusty and two were missing. But I loved it. I copied others, but always changed the melodies because I heard things differently.
Art, music and creativity always felt normal and fun for me. But not for my brothers. What else is driving passion when the environment is the same? Why can some people naturally draw when others can’t?
If I were raised in a completely different environment, would I be the same? I often wonder, is destiny real?
I think it is.
What Is Destiny vs. Fate?
Here’s my take:
Destiny relates to your natural proclivities, interests and desires.
Fate relates to events or major milestones in your life.
The two ideas dance with each other, but play different roles. Destiny leads to fate. Fate happens because of destiny.
So, Is Destiny Real?
More and more, as I get older, I’m thinking destiny is real. But I also think free will is just as important.
For example, I can absolutely work hard, study and become a lawyer. But will I be the truest representation of my innate self? Will I be happy and will I light up inside?
Me personally? No, probably not.
“I have the free will to become a lawyer, but nothing about doing law is interesting for me. It’s not attached to my innate interests, skills or personality. So it would be a harder road for me and probably wouldn’t feel as fulfilling.”
Destiny is real, simply because we’re all unique and we’re drawn to certain things. What if everyone only ever did what truly sparked their curiosities and made them feel alive?
I think we’re heading in that direction. Social media and the internet have totally redefined what’s possible.
Want to start a podcast and talk about making tables? Do it.
Want to start a blog about the potential existence of fairies and dragons? Go for it!
Life is an art project – so play, have fun. Do what lights you up. The rest will take care of itself (more or less).
How to Follow Your Destiny (6 freaking tips)
1. Do What You Love
If destiny is real, it’s probably close to doing more of what you love. So make time for your passions, follow your interests and do things that make you lose track of time.
Find the stuff you love and lean into them. Turn your passions into content, or a business. See where that takes you. You could be surprised.
Explore more:
➤ Do More of What Makes You Happy
2. Pay Attention to Innate Skills or Interests
What are you naturally good at or drawn to? This could be a strong signal about what you’re meant to do.
For example, I could always draw. Before I took any lessons or knew what I was doing, I understood how to make a halfway decent-looking picture. So I’m pursuing artistic goals (beyond drawing, but still).
What comes easy for you? What natural curiosities do you have? Follow those hints.
3. Get Aligned
Alignment is when you’re living close to your passions, values, personality and skills. Often, the problem isn’t knowing what you love (or what you’re gifted at), but actually betting on yourself and making time for those things.
Living aligned is recognizing your truth — and then freaking living it! So this is your permission slip.
4. Be Open
Sometimes, the whole idea of destiny gets confusing and nuanced. This is especially true if you’re like me and deal with multiple passions.
So my best solution is to just stay open to making changes, testing new paths and staying curious. I practice thinking like an explorer and I’m not attached to any one thing working or not working. This is all a fun game — like a movie.
So here are some quick tips for being open to all possible paths:
Test and explore
Hone a growth mindset
Stay curious and open to changes
Be a freaking dreamer — believe in your future
Explore more:
➤ I Fell in Love With Change
5. Trust Your Intuition
Sometimes, your truth is a feeling and it’s hard to explain. Intuition is a modern soft skill, and it can be hard to listen to it (especially if it’s asking you to make a big change or go against the grain).
Upending your life or switching directions can be stressful and jarring. Doubt can fill the spaces in your mind. And confusion or judgment from friends or family add fuel to the fire.
But intuition is a hint about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. It’s a tool for following your truest path — your destiny. Practice listening to it (meditate, try body scanning, listen to that inner voice).
6. Appreciate the Process
Destiny — your purpose, your dharma, whatever you call it — doesn’t always makes sense. And it’s usually not one moment or even clear.
It’s like what Steve Jobs said at Stanford, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”
So appreciate the journey and listen to your intuition. Choose things that help you grow and feel aligned. And forgive yourself for making “mistakes” or feeling “late”. It’s all good. Have fun and loosen expectations. Chances are — if destiny is real — you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing.
Being stuck is often the greatest catalyst to great change.
Later ✌️
I think destiny is real. I feel a slight pull to do certain things and a tug to be in certain places. I love deep-diving into these esoteric topics and questioning the mysteries of the universe and life itself.
I think destiny has a lot of language weight and nuance to it. But fundamentally, cosmically (at a quantum level), there’s something’s there.
It’s our job to heed our intuition’s inner voice, try and live aligned.
But what do you think — is destiny real? What’s more powerful — destiny or free will?
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
