The Bold and Their Destiny

When we are facing a daunting goal and feel that our goals are not reachable we whisper comforting words to ourselves that if it is meant to be, it will be.

It is easy to put the blame on destiny. It saves our ego.

Written thousands of years ago, a Sanskrit Subhashita (a well-known saying) mentions this:

विक्लवो वीर्यहीनो यः स दैवमनुवर्तते । 

वीराः सम्भावितात्मानो न दैवं पर्युपासते ॥

Viklavo vīryahīno yaḥ sa daivamanuvartate | 

Vīrāḥ sambhāvitātmāno na daivaṃ paryupāsate || 

This means that ‘A timid or powerless person resigns themselves to destiny and relies on external fortune for their progress. Conversely, courageous individuals possessing high self-esteem do not attach importance to fate or external luck. Ultimately, a person is directly responsible for whatever happens in their life and must take active initiative rather than blaming fortune.’

Relying on destiny is not a strategy. It is an exit plan for effort.

The words used in the Subhashita are ‘viklava’ which means the people who are hesitant and ‘vīryahīna’, which means those who lack inner strength.  These words are not meant as an insult. Instead, it describes a state of mind, the state where a person hands over the steering wheel of their life to external circumstances.

The opposite of these words is Vīrāḥ - the ones who are brave and action-oriented. The word that the Subhashita uses to describe such people is Sambhāvitātmānaḥ - this means the people who hold high self-esteem, self-respect and have an unshakable belief in their own capacity.

The Subhashita makes it very clear that it is not the people. It is the mindset of the people that has to be changed from that of a viklava to Vīrāḥ. 

Once this is done, the  Vīrāḥ no longer asks ‘Why is this happening to me?’ They ask, ‘What am I going to do about it?’

There is another thing too. Those who believe in luck often treat failure as a personal curse from the universe.

But for a Vīrāḥ, this is just information. It is feedback that tells where to work harder and where to build skills.

So remember confidence does not come from winning the lottery of life. It comes from knowing you can handle whatever hand you are dealt.