What Determines Destiny

I believe character determines destiny. When I realized that character is malleable, abilities can be enhanced, values change slowly, and the world is uncertain, what truly determines destiny?

Today, let's talk about the main factors that determine destiny.

One statement that most people probably agree with is that choices determine destiny. Our choices at each crucial crossroad determine our destiny. But the question is, what makes those choices? Today, let's briefly discuss this from the perspectives of psychology and character.

People are divided into three categories based on their self-awareness and understanding:

environment-driven, personality-driven, and mission-driven.

Factors that determine destiny

1. Environment-driven: They live completely within their subconscious, unconscious, genetic, and environmental settings

Freud discovered early on that by hypnotizing a person and giving them instructions to pick up an umbrella and then waking them up in another room, they would explain why they were holding the umbrella (clearly a command from their subconscious). Most people would explain it as "I thought it would rain" or "I wanted to see if the umbrella works."

Their daily so-called "self-judgments" are processed by their brains, and they are just providing explanations. Their criteria for choices are based on "feeling good" and "whether it aligns with their subconscious settings." Their feelings and subconscious are completely controlled by genetics and society; they are merely vessels.

They are unaware of their own character, tendencies, and needs. When external evaluations clash with their inner inclinations, they experience great pain and helplessness. Many bitter and melodramatic literary works operate at this level.

For these individuals, undoubtedly, the environment determines destiny.

2. Personality-driven: They start to have a sense of "self," understand that they are unique and different from others, no longer Nobody but ME.

Through extensive self-exploration, they understand their behavioral tendencies, subconscious needs, and discover their uniqueness. They make choices based on "what suits me."

They think about what suits their style, work, image, and way of expression. They continuously explore their character, cultivate strengths, fulfill needs, and enter into areas that feel most natural to them. The main goal for individuals with character is to "live authentically, find the right place, maximize their talents, and satisfy their inner desires."

For these individuals, character determines destiny.

3. Mission-driven (from ME to WE): They realize that individuals will perish, and something more lasting and meaningful needs to be passed on and impact the world, that is "changing the lives of those around you," this goal that transcends the individual is called a mission.

When Peter Drucker was young, he visited the elderly economist Schumpeter with his father. His father asked Schumpeter:

"Do you still care about how others will remember you?"

"Of course, this question is very important to me. Now I hope that people will remember me as an economics teacher, a teacher who is very good at teaching."

Drucker's father was surprised to hear this answer, and Schumpeter continued:

"At my age, I gradually realized that it's not enough to just be remembered for your theoretical work unless other people's lives are different because of your actions, that's when you've truly made an impact."

"Making a difference in other people's lives through your actions" is the mission Schumpeter gave himself.

Goals that go beyond individual needs often require more than just talent. This kind of choice requires honing and optimizing one's character, leveraging strengths, and addressing weaknesses. If you can't do it well, you have to open your mind and invite others to collaborate, allowing others to work in ways that make you uncomfortable, which also requires refinement.

This process can be quite painful, often necessitating going against one's own nature. Yet, driven by strong goals and significant values, they are willing to take that leap — not fearful of pain, but rather afraid of enduring pain without purpose.

The majority are the first kind of people，some may not care about what they wear or eat; about 20% are the carefree type, living life on their own terms; and the third kind are the minority in the crowd. When it comes to things they truly value, they immediately shine, work diligently, and don't compromise, the "mission-driven."

If you want to start a business, you might need to target the mainstream market of the first group; connect with the second group, who are usually opinion leaders in various fields, and form partnerships with the third group.

What does self-exploration mean?

It's about helping you move from the first kind of person to the second kind, understanding what is important to you (What) and how to use it (How). But once you complete this process, you'll realize that more important than what is the ‘So what’ ——Knowing your personality tendencies, are you going to adapt or change?

You were born in this era, endowed with these talents, and encountered your unique life circumstances. So who do you want to become and what do you want to leave for the world? This sense of meaning in life is not about going with the flow or looking at personalities, but about what you give yourself.

From Nobody to Me, and then to We — the journey of self-growth is from the first kind of person to the third kind, gradually expanding your ability to control your destiny.