The Architect of Destiny

One should have an excuse-ectemy and remove them all from life!
—Kevin Lankford

Dare mighty things!
—Teddy Roosevelt

This chapter is one I find to be quite a challenge because the only architect of destiny there can be for you is you! So in this chapter you will be required to write your own destiny. Oh sure, I will provide fodder to stimulate your thought processes; all you have to do is seriously reflect on the direction these mental vitamins will take you.

Success is not random or a matter of luck. It requires a formula, which provides the desired outcome. Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved a product called Kool-Aid. It has been around for what seems like forever (talk about marketing), and kids still seem to love it just as much today. The greatest thing about Kool-Aid is that it is a powdered drink beverage: You simply add water and some sugar, stir, and you have two quarts of a delicious drink to quench any thirst. It is the formula. You cannot do it any other way than that.

The formula is tested, tried, and proven to work consistently the same way every time. It is so simple that even a child can do it. The man who invented it created success in a pack. It is a formula that is successful. In this chapter we will create your personal formula.

Those with the formula for success are the ones who win. Are you not ready to become a winner? Say it: “I’m a winner!” Well, stay with me now while we examine some of the questions put forth by a great thinker of our time who believed that one could shape one’s own destiny:

For to what purpose is all the toil and bustle of this world? What is the end of avarice and ambition, of the pursuit of wealth, of power, and preeminence? . . . From whence, then, arises that emulation which runs through all the different ranks of men, and what are the advantages which we propose by that great purpose of human life which we call bettering our position?
—Adam Smith

Adam Smith was a man who lived from 1723 to 1790. He is known for being a great Scot economist and one of the forward thinkers of his time. He was an author who was an inspiration to such notables as Thomas Jefferson.

Adam Smith asked some good questions, huh? Questions are designed to improve your effectiveness. Suppose he was sitting before you after having traveled through time and asked you this question: “For to what purpose is all the toil and bustle of this world?” We could say that labor exists and the activity and commotion of this world are here for progress. The toil that exists has truly been valuable to us here in the twenty-first century and has allowed civilization to continue progressing!

“What is the end of avarice and ambition, of the pursuit of wealth, of power, and preeminence?” Avarice means to have too great a desire to have wealth or greed for riches. Ambition is its cousin, meaning a drive to succeed and to be enterprising enough to take risks in undertaking new challenges to succeed. The preeminent longing to excel forward and surpass the ordinary also refers to success. Its conclusion is found in your purpose.

In order to be a millionaire, your purpose has to be far more than the money. You seek a million dollars for who you become, and then you can give away a million dollars!

“From whence, then, arises that emulation which runs through all the different ranks of men, and what are the advantages which we propose by that great purpose of human life which we call bettering our position?” I like this part of the question because it reinforces bettering your best. Emulation is the desire or ambition to equal or surpass. We seek to do better, not to be better than others. The true growth comes when we dare to challenge the best—when we look for the best. I believe that yearning, that aspiration for greatness, is an innate quality in us all. Even the forefathers said, “We are endowed by our creator to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!”

Your value system can be a great tool in being the architect of your destiny. Values are the social principles, goals, or standards held or accepted by you and the society in which you live. Try listing your values and keeping them nearby, for example:

• peace of mind
• wealth
• good health
• a loving relationship
• family
• happiness
• free time
• spiritual fulfillment
• friendships
• retirement
• living to old age
• own business
• respect from others
• sense of accomplishment.

And of course, the list could go on and on.

Next list the destructive values you wish to eliminate or avoid participation in, such as:

• cheating or stealing
• gambling
• false sense of superiority or inferiority
• gossip, prejudice, bigotry, blame, criticism
• overindulgence in food, alcohol
• drugs
• smoking.

Are your values consistent with your behavior? Accept no excuses. Excuses are an explanation for a disappointment. Instead of explaining why you could not do something, ask yourself how you can do it. Have an “excuse-ectemy!” In other words, remove the ability to come up with reasons why you did not do something. Get rid of excuses.

Do you have a formula? Now go out and design your destiny. Remember, everything that was ever accomplished was at first nothing more than a thought held in the mind of the architect. Get all the tools, get all the materials, get all the support, and be who you have to be to do what you have to do, to have what others may never have! Develop a blueprint.

1. Determine your own best approach to setting your goals.
2. Do not confuse wishful thinking with goals.
3. Approach goals as a process, not as a destination, and ignore old programming that stops your forward progress.

** This article is one of 101 great articles that were published in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. To get complete details on “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life”, visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/greatways3.html