In Christianity, people often say, “God has a plan for us.” In Eastern religions, the idea of Dharma teaches that our destiny will unfold no matter what. Free will and destiny in Hinduism hint at the idea that we are here on Earth to help our souls grow by learning the lessons we need over many lifetimes. So, which way does the universe work? Free Will vs Fate? Which is the truth? The answer is both. Free will and fate work together to build our life.
Why Free Will is Real
I’ll start this article about the fate vs free will question by saying that we must have free will to a certain extent. Without free will, what’s the point of anything? If everything is already decided for us, then why bother making good choices or learning from our mistakes? If free will doesn’t exist and our decisions don’t matter, then what’s the point of trying to better ourselves? We grow when we make choices, face the consequences, and reflect on what we could do better. It’s through free will that we all become kinder, stronger, and wiser. The decisions we are able to make using our free will are like tests for our souls, giving us a chance to learn and grow.
But do we truly have free will or is our free will just an illusion? Are our choices really our own if they are heavily impacted by the people and environment around us? Our environment plays a huge role in our choices. How you were raised, the things you’ve experienced, and the people around you all shape how you see the world. For example, if you grew up in a family that struggled financially, you might be cautious with money as an adult, even if your situation improves. These influences might not control us but they do guide our decisions. This makes free will a little more complicated.
Then there’s the question of our thoughts and how they shape our choices. Are our thoughts truly ours? If you’ve ever meditated or simply sat in silence, you may have noticed that you aren’t actively creating every thought. Instead, you observe them as they arise. It’s as if you’re listening to your thoughts from a voice separate from yourself. You become the experiencer of your thoughts. Where do these thoughts come from? Can we claim them as our own? If these thoughts (that are not ours) play a big role in our decisions, then are we really using free will to make choices? Are we making decisions based on what we want or are they influenced by these thoughts that we’re experiencing in our mind?
Why Fate is Real
Moving on to fate, fate also plays a big role in life. It is up to forces unknown to us (god or the universe) that put us in certain situations in our life. There are many things we can’t control, like the family we’re born into, the opportunities we’re given, or even the people we cross paths with. Imagine meeting someone who changes your life, maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. That meeting wasn’t something you planned; it was fate. But what you do with it, how you let it shape you, is entirely up to you. Fate brings us situations, but free will decides how we respond. Our free will is how we react to our fate.
For example, take heartbreak. If it’s your fate to experience heartbreak, it will happen. You can’t stop someone from leaving you or a relationship from ending. That’s out of your hands. But what you do afterward is where free will comes in. You could choose to let the pain consume you and give up on love entirely. Or you could take the time to heal, reflect on what you’ve learned, and eventually open your heart again. Fate might set the stage, but free will determines whether you rise above it or let it define you. Life throws us challenges, but how we respond makes all the difference. When you work with fate, you find peace and flow with the natural current of life.
Fate vs Free Will
Think of life as a river. You’re in a boat with a few people, floating downstream. The river’s current is fate—it determines the direction and flow, and you can’t change that. If you try to paddle upstream, fighting against the current, you’ll exhaust yourself and make no real progress. But if you grab a paddle and move with the flow, you’ll travel faster and with less effort. While you can’t control where the river takes you, you do have choices within your boat. If someone is loud, you can move to another seat. The river is fate and the boat is your free will.
Fate controls the major events in life that are seemingly out of your hands—the things that are meant to happen. But your freedom is how you react to those events. Do you use these events to learn and grow? Or do you let yourself be consumed by the weight of the events, negative or positive? It’s like there are fixed points on your life’s path that you can’t avoid, but the journey between those points is up to you. Together, fate and freedom will create the life you’re meant to live. Fate gives you the lessons and free will determines what you do with them. By accepting what you can’t control and focusing on what you can, you can make life a smoother, more meaningful experience.
