When asked if a predetermined destiny truly exists, people generally seem to fall into two categories.

Those who say, "Everything is predetermined," recall moments in their lives that seem too precise to be mere coincidences. These include the people they meet, the places they had to leave, and paths they tried to avoid but ended up crossing again.

On the other hand, those who say, "I create my own destiny," have experiences where changing their choices led to different outcomes. Therefore, I believe that destiny is not a completed script but rather closer to a 'draft.' Some people have a tight draft, while others have a lot of blank space. The important thing is that having a draft does not mean the ending is fixed.

Moments that seem to indicate a predetermined destiny generally arise from patterns. People live by habits, habits are formed from personality, and personality solidifies from the environment and experiences one has grown up in. We tend to repeat similar choices with similar personalities. Thus, it is not surprising that results also repeat similarly. When this happens, it is easy to say, "That's my fate." In fact, that phrase does not only imply resignation. Strangely, people feel less anxious when there is an explanation.

So, is the element that changes destiny an individual's will or the environment? Many people get tangled up trying to choose only one of the two. If will is emphasized alone, it leads to ignoring reality. The saying, "If you set your mind to it, you can do anything," sounds nice, but the starting line varies depending on where one was born, where one lives, and who one meets. Conversely, if only the environment is emphasized, life becomes too mechanical. The phrase, "I had no choice," explains the situation but also renders a person powerless.

To conclude, the power to change destiny arises when will and environment work together. Will is the steering wheel, and the environment is the road. You cannot navigate a mountain path with just a steering wheel. However, even with a good road, if you do not hold the steering wheel, you will end up in the wrong place.

Will is often overestimated, while the environment is often underestimated. For example, if someone resolves, "I will definitely exercise in the new year," their will is sufficient. However, if there are no safe walking paths near their home, they work until 10 PM, come home to caregiving responsibilities, and are surrounded by people who mock exercise, then will becomes a disposable resource.

Conversely, even with a good environment, if there is no will, results will not materialize. If the gym is on the first floor of the apartment, there is time, and there are friends to work out with, but one keeps saying, "Starting tomorrow," the body remains the same. Therefore, to change destiny, it is much more efficient to create an environment that wears down will less rather than just trying to strengthen will first.

There is a point where many people misunderstand. Changing the environment does not necessarily mean moving, changing jobs, or completely overhauling relationships. The environment can change in small ways. Removing tempting apps from the home screen, placing a book next to the bed, limiting drinking appointments to twice a month, reducing conversations with people who belittle you, and writing down schedules are all very minor adjustments to the environment. When these adjustments accumulate, will transforms from a "big resolution" into "small automation."

The commonality among those who have changed their destinies is not extraordinary mental strength but rather changing their living structure. When that structure continuously pushes me toward the right choices, results begin to change at some point. When results change, people feel that their destiny has changed.

So, is destiny just a play on words that doesn't exist? Not quite. Destiny certainly includes things that I cannot choose. These include the country I was born in, my parents, genetics, childhood events, and the flow of the times. These elements determine the basic tone of life. However, that tone does not determine the entire composition.

Even within the same tone, melodies change. We are not completely free, but we are not completely trapped either. Destiny is not a wall but a boundary line. The range of possible choices within that boundary varies from person to person, and the way to expand that range is through the combination of will and environment.

In summary, when it feels like destiny is predetermined, it is likely a signal that I have been living in the same way. If I want to change my destiny, it is more realistic to first adjust my environment to prevent myself from breaking down rather than just shouting, "I need to be stronger."

Will is the spark, and the environment is the fuel. If you rely only on the spark and endure without fuel, it will go out. If you just pile up fuel without igniting the spark, nothing will happen. Ultimately, destiny is not a conclusion that falls from the sky, but a process where today's choices become tomorrow's habits, and those habits create the life of years to come, making it appear 'destined' in hindsight.

So, the one thing I want to say to those who question destiny is this: Even if a predetermined destiny exists, there are far more destinies that can change. And that change begins not with grand resolutions but with how I set up my surroundings right now.

I wish all readers of this article abundant blessings in the upcoming new year of 2026 as I conclude this piece.

Thank you for reading to the end.