Man is the only one who tries to give life a complete direction. We plan, prepare, set goals, and make lists, believing that if we control things enough, we will avoid pain, error, and loss. But the reality is simple and often harsh: life rarely goes according to our plan.

The illusion of control

In psychology, this need to have everything under control is called the “illusion of control” – the belief that we can influence even completely random events. It is a mechanism that gives us a sense of security, because uncertainty scares us. We feel the need to predict, to protect, to control every detail – not because we can, but because we don’t know how to live with the unknown.

The mystery of coincidence

Philosophers, meanwhile, have seen this need for control as an attempt to escape the mystery of existence. Randomness – that which has no reason, that which happens without warning – is one of the most profound forces in life. It can shock us, but it can also save us; it can change the course of our destiny or give us new opportunities that we would never have imagined. To accept randomness is to accept that we are not masters of the universe, but travelers in it.

The peace that comes from surrender

Perhaps happiness lies not in control, but in coming to terms with the unpredictable. When we stop fighting reality and start accepting it as it is, a new kind of calm emerges—a peace that is not about resignation, but about acceptance. True control is not about having everything under control, but about knowing how to maintain balance even when things fall apart.

The art of uncertain life

Life, at its core, is a game between order and chaos. No plan is perfect, no certainty is eternal. The only way to live peacefully is to accept impermanence as part of existence. When we stop seeking absolute control, we begin to savor the moments, to experience spontaneity, to appreciate the moment for what it is – not for what it should have been.

In the end, perhaps the secret is not to control life, but to co-create it. To go with the flow, with an open heart, with a calm mind – and to understand that, even though we don't know what awaits us, we can live each day with presence, with faith, and with light.

Photo by Aleks Magnusson: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-tossing-a-rock-2962581/