If you were to define the difference between fate and destiny, what would you say?

Question

If you were to define the difference between fate and destiny, what would you say?

Answer 1

Destiny is a practical goal to achieve.  

Fate is a hypothetical construct for the future.  

Answer 2

The words are completely interchangeable; there is no difference.

Edit: Well, Fate is usually aimed at a person or persons, while Destiny can mean something like.. a series of events "destined" to occur.

Edit 2: I guess you could say fate is a more "focused" word for destiny.

Answer 3

God pre-planed everything out. He knows what will happen (not that He will like it). He gave you free choice. You get to decide what your gonna do with your life. I chose to live for Him.

Answer 4

I'd say no difference. Well, the number of syllables is different, maybe if you're writing a sonnet it matters!

Answer 5

fate is rubbish just as luck is.

Destiny is rubbish too.

You have two paths, a worldly path and a Godly path.  

Answer 6

Fate is what happens to you, destiny is what you follow.

Answer 7

They are both fictional notions people use to make ordinary life seem extraordinary.  

Answer 8

Splitting hairs?

Answer 9

Many people talk of Fate and Destiny as if they are one and the same thing, but it may be interesting to examine the subtle difference between the two.

It is believed by many that before we are born we make definite choices as to what we wish to learn, and the aim we want to fulfill during the coming life. It is a Spiritual decision which is rarely remembered once we are born, but in hindsight we often see that events and circumstances have led us unknowingly onwards towards our chosen destination.

So our Destiny could be classified as our own personal Star.

It is the Spiritual Will of the person; a deep inner need; something that drives us to do what seems impossible. It nurtures us with hope in our darkest moments; enables us to dream of better things, and resides in a place where we are destined to find our fulfillment.

Destiny is what we are here on earth to achieve. It is the Sacred Inner Star that guides us; our aspirations; our need to "go" somewhere and make our mark on the world

If we all seriously went about fulfilling our Destiny there would be no need for Fate, for our Star is the Magical Gift of our moment in time which is personal to us alone, and belongs to every single person on this planet.

The problem we are faced with, of course, is what exactly is our Destiny, and how do we go about fulfilling it? And that is where Fate has a significant part to play, for most of us have little memory of what we have committed to do, and are so caught up in the material world that we lose sight of our own unique qualities and potential.

So Fate could be classified as our own personal Guardian.

It calls us to attention, and just knocks us back onto the path when we stray from our true purpose. It is a friendly nudge in the right direction.

Many people feel that Fate is unkind and whimsical in approach, but in fact it is both generous and extremely mindful of the needs of our soul. Sometimes it hurts, but sadly it is often only through hardship that we discover our inner strength and capabilities to achieve great things.

There are so many of us who are wandering around aimlessly through life, wondering where we are meant to go, and dangerously looking at other people's Stars and wishing they were ours.

We ask a multitude of questions about our Destiny, but rarely if ever hear or even listen for the answers, for they don't come as a sudden flash of lightening out of a cloud.

Answers can only be heard by getting to know ourselves really well; finding out what we really want and going after it with complete commitment; believing in ourselves and our capabilities, and learning to listen to own intuition - the secret inner Spiritual voice or ourselves - that is trying to show us the way to personal success in life and happiness in our hearts.

The responsibility for finding our Destiny is ours alone. It can never be given to us by anyone else for it doesn't belong to them, it only belongs to us.

Destiny is something we choose to go after.... Fate is something that happens to us, and seemingly takes away our choices, but in fact actually leads us back towards the choice of Destiny we already made before we were born.

Answer 10

fate is what we cannot control

destiny is what we were meant to do, but we can choose otherwise.

For example, i'm naturally gifted in math (lets assume). My destiny is to use that gift, but i dont really have to. Fate would be some supernatural force that compels us against our will

to the first person: yes, their denotation are identical, but they have different conotations.