Coincidence is an ugly thing. It has no discernible form. It occurs at random. It swears no loyalty to good or evil. It just…is – a marauding force in the universe beholden to no master, no cause, and no amount of free will.
Many believe in this force because it’s easy to do so. Such fealty to an idea unseen, untouched, and unknown is a convenient solution to a common struggle – critical thinking. Coincidence grants us latitude to abandon the labors of deep thought. Many covet this blank check so as to buy their way out of personal responsibility for their own well being, both present and future.
In truth, coincidence is more than a shapeless excuse. It’s a lie.
“There are no coincidences, only the illusion of coincidence.” –V, V for Vendetta
Coincidence is a farce of the first order. To believe in coincidence is to believe that absolute certainty is possible. When you stop to critically think about that you’ll observe how foolish that concept truly is.
Nothing in life is absolutely certain, absolutely predictable, absolutely a “given.”
“There is no certainty, only opportunity.” – V, V for Vendetta
Opportunity is the razor thin difference between cowardice and courage. If the warm-and-fuzzy myths of coincidence are too delightful to forego, then a fool you may well be. True change agents, thought leaders, and men and women of honor accept the duty to command their destiny, come what may. They do not balk at the ripe opportunities to shape their present, which thereby influence their futures.
Matters of health illustrate this truth in undeniable terms.
The quality of health you woke up to this morning didn’t burst into being overnight. Say you’re borderline overweight; a bit pudgy as it were with elevated blood pressure and mild fatigue. Did the false gods of coincidence do that to you as punishment for some crime? Or did your lack of nutrition, fitness, and wellness discipline compound over time and drive you into this ditch?
Don’t lie to yourself, unless you enjoy playing the part of a fool.
You reap what you sow.
It’s imperative not to confuse coincidence with consequence.
Coincidence is a lazy man’s attempt to explain a cause-and-effect relationship, which is to say a consequence. Physics teaches us that for every action there is an equal and opposing reaction. Our daily routines prove this. Eat a doughnut, get fatter. Work hard, increase wealth.
Coincidences these are not. They are results of choices.
Notice that these cause-and-effect relationships are not linear. One doughnut won’t make you a walrus overnight. Likewise, an episodic hard work ethic won’t make you wealthy in a week. It’s the repeated behaviors that matter most.
Sow, reap, repeat. It’s a cycle like the seasons of the harvest.
Opt out of the lie.
I cringe every time I witness a good person fall victim to the false logic of coincidence. It’s a trap not of your own casting. Mankind’s comatose conventional wisdom has allowed it to survive. So some absolution exists, but only to a point.
Choices matter. The seizing (or not) of opportunities dictates the arc of our lives. This is a non-linear arc that can be bent to your will. But only if you opt out of thelies of Linear Design. For yourself, your family, your present and future, I hope you do.
{ 3 trackbacks }