The maxim means in plain English that the fortune
of a man. Depends upon his own self; he can make or mar according as he in
other word, the destiny of a man lies in his own hands. And he can be
successful if he only wills it. Man has been sent out to this world by God
endowed with all those qualities which are essential for greatness. It is up to
man to utilize these qualities. If he puts his whole heart into his work and
makes the best use of his talents, he cannot but be successful in life. He only
courts failure, if he does not do this.
A man who possesses a strong will and a firm
determination finds all difficulties solved. To him there are a thousand ways
open to steer clear of all dangers and difficulties. Such a man goes on working
hard with a strong resolution and an unshaken will, which achieves success and
makes his fortune. It is the height of folly to suppose that wealth, fame or
power comes to a man by his sitting at home and only asking for it. A person
must be persevering and must exert himself, if he wants to shape out his
destiny. He who fails to bring strength of mind and industry to bear upon his
work in life has nothing but suffering and troubles as his lot. If a man cannot
achieve wealth and fortune unless he works hard and unless he has a powerful wills,
it follows that he is the builder of his own fortune, He can make his fortune
if he wishes to do so, by being industrious and persevering. He call also bring
misery and suffering upon himself if he has not the wish to labour.
The well-known story of the carpenter-boy shows how
even impossible thing are made possible and how one’s destiny can be completely
changed by an iron will. A carpenter-boy was one day found hard at work in
repairing a chair and polishing it. One of his neighbours, who were watching him
at his work, ridiculed him for his taking so many pains. The boy replied to his
neighbours ridicule by saying that there was a motive behind his action. He was
polishing it so carefully because he would one day sit upon it. The neighbour
laughed at his idea, but what was his surprise when he found that the boy, by
dint of perseverance and strength of will, rose to be a magistrates and
actually sat upon the chair, which he had himself mended. The carpenter-boy by
his own efforts changed his of remaining a poor carpenter all his life.
Every man reaps the result of his own actions. If
he is active, he will be rewarded for his activity and if he is idle, he will have
to suffer for his idleness. Many men have a tendency to sit idle, or they say
it is impossible to do anything against Fate. But there can be nothing so
foolish as to believe that luck or destiny makes NE’s fortune. We all known
that “Fortune favours the brave, and there is no exaggeration in this. Fortune
comes only to those who have the capacity to face dangers without shrinking and
who are not disheartened by failure. In other words, those who are active and
work with a determination can only come by fortune. This is the same as saying
that only those who have a strong desire to win fortune can be favoured by it.
To trust to fate and remain inactive is nothing but cowardice, and it is idle
to expect that fortune will ever favours such cowards. To suppose that other
persons or powers can be of help to promote one’s well-being or give one a
fortune only proves one’s weakness. This is never possible. It rests entirely
with every individual to shape his own ends.
It is thus clear that man cannot improve his condition
in life or get fame and fortune, unless he wills it and acts in accordance with
his wish. It is out of the question to hope for success by doing nothing and
only dreaming of wealth and renown. It is only the weak and feeble hearted who
lay blame at the door of their failures, for which their own idleness and
negligence alone are responsible. Those who exert their will are sure to find
that fortune is theirs, and examples as also of those who are fatalists will
prove beyond the shadow of doubt that it depends upon every man to improve his
position in life or spoil it according as he wishes.