Decisions Decide Destiny: The Power of Choices That Shape Our Lives...

 

Decisions Decide Destiny: The Power of Choices That Shape Our Lives...

Every thought, every moment, every action we take in life shapes our destiny. When a small child learns to take their first step, with support or without it, their confidence, or the confidence their parents instill in them, plays a vital role in their development. Though we know that there is one Almighty who guides everything, we still act unconsciously based on what we learn from our environment and on the decisions we make. It is said that with the support of the Almighty and the learning from our surroundings, we perform actions in five ways: immediate and impromptu reactions to any action, actions driven by imagination, dreams or destiny, education and real-time actions learned from our gurus, learning from wise people around us, and actions based on our internal strength. If these actions are guided by the right decisions, life becomes beautiful and purposeful. But if not, life brings many challenges along the way.

The other day, I was talking to one of my patients who is now 60 years old. He has been my patient for more than 20 years. He has hearing difficulty but uses his hearing aids religiously for at least 12 to 14 hours a day. He said something very beautiful, “I was a banker, and for me, listening to every conversation was extremely important. Hearing was essential for communication, especially with hearing aids. Ever since I started using the hearing aids you programmed for me, I have never faced difficulty in hearing or understanding, but before every meeting or gathering, I would still pray to God to keep my hearing intact.” His hearing loss never became a challenge because his decision to stay connected with God helped him overcome it. His faith guided his destiny in the right direction.

Dinkar Sheth, one of the Vaishnavs mentioned in ancient scriptures, was born into a wealthy business family. From childhood, he was never interested in pursuing higher education or joining the family business. He loved listening to gurus, learning about God, and praying. His family grew tired of his spiritual inclinations, whenever they gave him money, he would offer it to gurus and those serving God in temples. Eventually, his family threw him out. Instead of feeling sad, he was delighted to be free from worldly attachments. Sometime later, he met Vallabhacharyaji, the founder of the Vaishnav Sampraday. He realized that until then, he had learned nothing and had so much more to understand about the Almighty. He became Vallabhacharyaji’s devotee, and his decision to dedicate his life to prayer and learning brought him peace and a divine journey to heaven. God was always beside him.

Nowadays, many parents have one or two children, and their entire focus revolves around them. They want to do everything possible for their kids, taking care of their routine, food, education, and every activity. In their constant efforts to protect, they sometimes forget that children also need space to grow independently. For example, when a child wants to jump from one step to another, parents often say, “Don’t do that, you may fall. Wait, I’ll hold you first, then you jump.” Hearing such statements repeatedly may prevent children from trying things on their own. Later in life, when they wish to make a decision, they might always wonder, “Will I be able to do it without my parents’ help?”

Mithali Raj’s journey in Indian women’s cricket is a perfect example of never giving up. From waking up at 4 a.m. as a young girl to practice with boys, to facing gender bias and limited opportunities, her determination never wavered. She once said, “If you’re passionate and work hard, no one can stop you.” Despite injuries, criticism, and the early lack of recognition for women’s cricket, she led India to two World Cup finals and became one of the highest run-scorers in the world. Mithali’s decisions, to stay focused, disciplined, and committed to her passion, shaped her destiny and inspired millions of young girls to believe that no dream is too big.

Recently, a young boy visited us who felt he had some speech issues. He had come to Mumbai from Rajasthan for studies. He didn’t have a major problem, he just needed some polishing to improve his speech clarity. He himself said, “I speak very fast, so sometimes people don’t understand what I say.” I told him, “Then why don’t you try speaking slowly?” After counseling, I assured him that he was doing well but could get even better with some practice. What concerned me was that during our one-hour conversation, he repeatedly asked, “On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate me compared to others? How much of a problem do I have?” He shared that he grew up in a small village in Rajasthan in a joint family and spent most of his time alone in his room, not interacting much with people.

Perhaps, since childhood, every conversation he had ended with someone pointing out his speech difficulty, making him self-conscious. Over time, he began avoiding communication altogether. Now, in Mumbai, he has no choice but to talk to get things done. His early experiences shaped a mindset that makes him doubt his abilities. This shows how unconscious reactions from parents and family can become obstacles later in life. Once the subconscious mind forms such beliefs, they’re hard to break. That’s why, at every step of life, it’s crucial to make decisions with awareness, because decisions truly decide destiny.

In the end, every phase of life brings us to a point where we must choose, sometimes between comfort and courage, sometimes between fear and faith. The beauty of destiny lies not in what happens to us, but in how we decide to respond. When our decisions come from awareness, gratitude, and trust in the divine, even challenges turn into stepping stones. Life may not always move as planned, but with the right intentions and a steady heart, every decision we make becomes a silent prayer shaping our destiny.