FORTUNE, dream career, peace of mind, or whatever your ultimate life goal is, do you have what it takes to get them? Or rather, the real question: were you ever meant to achieve them?

These questions may not be new to you; perhaps they are the ones you ask yourself from time to time. It’s a universal experience. For most people, we doubt our capabilities or even our whole existence when the vision of our future starts to blur out. Have you ever considered that maybe you’re not the problem?

Study hard, get good grades, work hard enough, and you’ll get whatever you want. This is something that all kids are told as soon as they gain consciousness. It’s true; most of the time, you get what you work for. The sad thing about this, however, is how the lives of unfortunate people are depicted, “mag-aral ka nang maayos kung ayaw mong matulad sa kanila.”

We’ve all seen a rags-to-riches film. The type where someone who came from nothing ended up with everything they had hoped for. This implies that our destiny is based on our free will. And though these stories are presented as mere entertainment, the power they hold goes beyond that. They fuel us. They lead us to believe that anything is achievable, and this belief sticks with us. 

As we hold on to these beliefs, we start to romanticize life and hope for the same miracle to happen to us. A friend once told me that you choose what you change and don't change. So maybe, just maybe, it’s all about changing, or rather replacing, the parts of your life that require improvement—about that risk of removing something in hopes that the space it left will be filled with something better. It could also be about putting in as much effort as possible to build the best future for yourself. So long as we invest in our lives through hard work, best believe our lifestyle will eventually reach its peak, right? Not exactly.

Some people can't afford to take risks because even the smallest misstep could cost them everything they’ve worked for. There are those striving with multiple jobs, and still, it wouldn’t be enough to feed their families. The point is, the math isn't as simple as do more, get more. To have the power to change your life and to risk even parts of it is a luxury in itself.

Even I hold this one principle close to my heart: no matter how bad the cards you are dealt, play the game well enough and you’ll win. But the truth is, not all of us are given even the slimmest chance to win. More than the different cards we’re dealt—social status, family circumstances, opportunities, etc—are the people we’re playing with.

Truth be told, there is no such thing as a fair game. Some people stay as they are because they are treated as stepping stones. While some succeed by exploiting others. A huge percentage of the people we see every day are victims of the system.

So no, life is not entirely driven by free will. To say that it is equates to the refusal to acknowledge the fact that there are things far beyond our control. While our capabilities play a huge role in how our lives will play out, our future does not solely rely on them. 

Back to the question, are you really meant to achieve everything on your life’s bucket list? Maybe it’s better not to know. Because whatever the answer is, it wouldn’t hurt to try—it’s your life, after all. And perhaps true success is achieved once you finally find satisfaction in what makes your life worth living.