It is the play of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we go.” Jim Rohn Quote
When you read the above quote from Jim Rohn, what do you picture in your mind? Do you see a ship in the sea, being guided by the winds? If you do, then that’s a natural way to interpret what the quote is trying to tell you. However, if you dig deeper into the message, you will see that it is not about sailing or ships, but about how our actions influence where we go in our lives. That’s how it is. It’s all about us.
You see, there are many people in this world, and this world continues to exist because of our actions. In all honesty, everything we know and love in this world can disappear in a single night if we direct our actions towards the destruction of our humanity. Fortunately, however, our sense of self-preservation continues to help us strive to live and continue our race. Enough of that though, what about our actions? What does it mean to say that our actions determine our path?
Well, our actions take us to where we are now, or where we will be in the future. Some people, rather than act, would rather just “go with the flow” and leave things to chance. However, when something unfortunate happens, they are quick to blame themselves or, worse yet, blame others for their misery. In truth, that could have been avoided if they had decided to take matters into their own hands and shape their own future.
People are responsible for the paths they take in life. Even those who believe they have a calling must understand that it is their own actions that will lead them to their calling. We can’t just leave it to chance and chance; we must act on our own and take advantage of opportunities, not wait for them to fortunately fall into our slip. People, we have to take action! It is we who determine where we end up in life, not destiny, chance or fate.
We share our own destiny, this is true. The decisions and actions you take now are what will shape your future and make you the person you’ve always wanted to be. It all depends on you whether or not you are willing to take that step: take responsibility for your actions and take control of your life. Once you understand that everything is under your control, you can start working towards having the life you’ve always wanted.