A couple of years ago I decided to change directions in my career. I had studied Massage Therapy and after working in the field for just under a year, I couldn’t imagine myself in that profession long-term. I quit my job on a whim, moved to a different province and started studying to get another degree, this one in Media and Communications. I began to follow another trail on the path of my destiny.

Destiny is an interesting concept. The search for meaning is ingrained into the very existence of mankind. Humanity has this drive to be remembered and each of us wants to make our life count. But how does a person go about finding her destiny? It’s a bit like sailing.

Imagine standing at the edge of a dock and a man hands you a map, a couple keys, and a sailor’s cap. He then points you towards a sailboat that is tied up at the end of the dock. The man slowly walks away and disappears into the mist. Winds start to pick up so you jump aboard the sailboat. You grasp the tiller and enter into the realm of the unknown. You glance at the map the man gave you but it has no details — just an arrow pointing forward.

In Rough Waters

Your sailboat can get caught in stormy seas. It can get off course or stranded at an island for repairs. Sometimes the waves get really big and it’s hard to stomach the change of pace. During the storms and detours it is essential to be reminded of the sailboat’s destination — forward.

Wouldn’t it be nice to just arrive and skip the stormy patches of sea? However, arriving at the point of destiny is unrealistic. It’s essential to keep track of the successes and victories along the way because a truly extraordinary person is someone who celebrates each bend and turn in the road. Someone who sees success as an end point is missing the importance of vision along the way.

The desire to arrive is a natural human need in which everyone can relate to. Arrival meets the need of closure and security. These are valid needs (and they get met to some extent) but life is not just a straight road with one arrival point. Destiny is a journey, not just a destination.

One Step at a Time

Immersing yourself into your destiny requires you to take just one step at a time. Take one risk after the other as you move forward into the unknown and you will carve out a beautiful path — that’s your destiny. Destiny is not an arrival point; it’s the minor and major decisions made everyday. The focus is not arriving but sailing forward. When you see that each step counts during the trek of destiny the adventure will be much more enjoyable.

To continue on the path of your dreams or to chart the right waters, here are a couple of keys that will help you along the way:

The first key is hope. To walk in step with destiny it is crucial to have hope for the future. It takes courage to take each step with confident hope. Even if the outcome is not what was planned or imagined, it’s imperative that dreams and goals for the future are paired with hope.

The second key is letting go. In order to actually start sailing the sailboat needs to be untied from the dock. In each step that is taken there is a constant letting go of the previous steps or transactions. By walking in the present and not living in the past (whether past failures or moments of success) you are freed to walk without any weights.

The third key choice. It’s impossible to control the winds and the waves but it is possible to choose the days to sail, where to sail, and whom to sail with. Life is full of choices at every turn and bend and all these twists and turns eventually create a path. It is empowering to understand the influence that choice has in routing and mapping out destiny. The freedom to choose is also a gift but with it comes responsibility.

I heard someone once say that a dream is only a dream when it is beyond human capability. This very fact makes it a dream. If it’s too easy to accomplish then it’s not a dream. Dreams and destiny go hand in hand. In believing and sticking to the course of destiny you will dare to dream.

At this point you may be wondering: How do I know what my destiny is? If this is your question, look inside and plot the pattern of your heart. Ask yourself, what are you passionate about? What is something that you would be willing to sacrifice for? Determine these desires and inborn strengths and then sail forward in that direction. Your destiny awaits.

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This article was written by: Andrea Debruin