It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves-says William  Shakespear.

The above is a part of a quote from Shakespeare's play JULIUS CAESAR. It reads as "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves, that we are underlings." (Julius Caesar,) It flags a message that we should not be guided by our astrological signs to do what we want to do.  What we achieve in life is the outcome of our own actions not the fate or stars. Those who succeed in life are doers not star watchers. They don't look up to their astrological charts to decide what to do or what not to do.

 In a nutshell it means we must have the strength of will, to overcome the roadblocks that obstruct the way to our goals.  Our actions are our own choices and they are not the result of Stars which are beyond our control.

Pause for a moment to think about the faults in yourselves, and then choose your actions   that may shape your destinies. This suggests you oversee your own destiny. Make your   own choices as  S.Naqi Haider  Rizvi did . He turned his  disabilities into abilities. This has been   narrated in the following here below He has  proved that  what matters  the most in our life  to succeed  is our  thought process and attitude.. Our destiny is governed not by stars but our own actions.

When you want to do something you realize there are many obstacles on the way. Accept   the existence of the   obstacles preventing you from doing what you want to do and then go beyond them. This applies to everyone who aspires to achieve true success. Success has no destination. It is continuous and constant. Success means overcoming the difficult situations that you encounter on the way.

Obstacles are many. Obstacles can be overcome, once you understand the odds, everything outside of them becomes a possibility.  S.Naqi Haider  Rizvi is shining example. Read below what Naqi says - unedited version of what he says is reproduced here below

About your plans for tomorrow you may include a splendid breakfast laundry or for some of you choosing the right combination of clothes for a formal event; all of these are activities that most of us do without much effort. Now close your eyes and imagine doing those same activities but now with the blindfold. How will you differentiate the salt from sugar; how will you know which button to press on the washing machine, how will you know which tie best goes with your suit to make you look as handsome as me. Those same activities, same tasks, same goals now more difficult. Now imagine doing this with a blindfold not for a day but for the rest of your life yes ladies and gentlemen this is what I had to grapple with at the tender age of 7 when I lost my sight due to congenital glaucoma. Even when I was born I couldn't see very much and the gradual deterioration of my sight was like a slow poison that ate away the soul and happiness with me and my family. My parents tried everything in their power to save my eyes but it appeared the blindness had been destined for me and there was nothing that we could do except to come to terms with that bitter reality. It appeared before the rest of my life my world would be very bleak colorless and dark. Normal activities like reading writing drawing walking or even playing with children seemed like insurmountable mountains with no ropes that I could hold to reach the summit. It meant every time I would try to climb I would often fall .On the day I was born to an Indian mother and Pakistani father my parents realized that there was something very peculiar about me, not that I was a cocktail of immiscible countries or overly cute as a child but what noticeable was that my eyes were unusually protruding. They tried to seek answers but to no avail .Unfortunately the doctors won't have much help either. Mom and Dad however embraced me and took me home as a child; They didn't know how much I could or could not see. All they knew that as a toddler when I played with toys that fell far from me I found it difficult to find them and that my eyes watered uncontrollably when exposed to light. My mother who's a very ambitious woman and overly loving decided to put me in a regular school with sighted girls and boys so that I too could live a life as close to  as near normality as possible. I will not delve into the specific challenges that I face being the only blind student in that school or there would be no end to this talk in sight

What I would however say is that the formative years of my life were full of challenges obstacles trials and tribulations .The only advantage to being different at school was that everyone knew my name and I was famous  not for the most pleasant reason. Of course normal dreams that parents see for their children going to school playing sports going to university seemed incredibly difficult for me not only because they seemed too unrealistic or far-fetched but because our resources were scarce and we could not guarantee that schooling me in a regular setting would actually bear the desired results. My parents with unwavering faith in God   believed that nothing was impossible .This propelled them forward. They knew that I had not been sent to this world as a mere glaucoma patient but rather as someone with a much bigger purpose in life. They worked with me day and night and raised me up just like a normal child. In fact I was even scolded for being overly naughty at school as my mother was a teacher in the same school and often heard my complaints in the teacher staff room .My mother who's an MBA graduate from a very prestigious university decided to let go of her career to help me cope at school. She worked with me day and night and helped me reach where I am today .On the other hand my larger-than-life father made me try the wonders of this world like karate skating cycling public speaking and even driving. not on a road  of course .My sister was one of my biggest support and delight .She never fails to brighten up  my days, She can relate to living in a  pitch-black world as she also suffers from the same disease .She does however have some sight remaining and often describes the surroundings of new places that we visit together .Even as a child she never failed to brighten up my days in the hospital when she brought me my favorite toys ,chocolates and flowers during a debilitating surgery last year in which my eyes were removed and replaced with prosthetic ones to alleviate me of my excruciating eye pain .She came by my hospital bed and held my hand and at that time she conveyed something that no words could express and no one else could understand ladies and gentlemen. I'm no superhuman but just an ordinary person like all of you sitting here. All of us face problems in our lives of varying nature and magnitude. All of us also have dreams and ambitions that we yearn to accomplish but obstacles that prevent us from doing so sometimes our goals can seem too unrealistic or far-fetched. Resources are always scarce and none of us can guarantee that the effort we put in to accomplish those tasks will yield the desired results. I believe that too but does that mean we give up .Remember that when you try you will fall and when you fall fall forward because when you get up you're still ahead of where you were before you fell and that too is progress. Keep in mind that you cannot be victorious unless you come to the battlefield with the mindset of a  warrior as Helen Keller beautifully  articulates , keep your face to the Sun and the shadows will fall behind you ?  I came to London two weeks ago ,coming to a new place adjusting to a new lifestyle learning rules  studying engineering seems like an enormous challenge for me but I came here with the mindset of a warrior and now I not only go to most places on my own but also live a normal life I study engineering with my sighted friends, Do my house chores on my own and also enjoy life  doing undergraduate degree. Many people thought I was being overly ambitious when I decided to opt for Industrial Engineering and I wouldn't lie it was incredibly difficult with those complicated diagrams equations computer programs and laboratory experiments but I knew I had to prove myself. I worked tirelessly and pleasantly surprised those same people on the day of my graduation when despite being the only one in my class with a physical impairment I graduated with the highest grade on my batch and that day proved to me that disability is not the same as inability. I did not attribute  the success to myself alone as  if it were not for the help of God, the love affection and support of my family, the guidance of my teachers and the moral support of my friends I wouldn't have been able to come this far. I proudly tell the world that even though I have lost my sight I haven't lost my vision .For me my attitude has always been the first step towards achievement. For some people my world may appear very bleak colorless and dark but to me my world is very bright and illuminated because when some sighted people see things they see them the way they are but when I see things I see them the way I choose to view them .Ladies and gentlemen all of us have goals and ambitions that we want to accomplish and many obstacles that prevent us from achieving those, do not wait, go out there and fight to overcome those obstacles. Keep in mind that obstacles will always be there what needs change is the way we tackle them. Try to overcome those obstacles. If you can't overcome all of them just like the ones I encounter on the pavements here, then go around them do not let any person; any circumstance define your success or failure.  Remember that you are the captain of your ship and the master of your destiny. Do not let frustrations hold you back.  Use them to propel you forward .Keep in mind that kites fly against the wind and not with it. Do keep in mind that nothing is impossible because even the word impossible says I am possible .Keep in mind that your perseverance and attitude can make the difference. Start with a small step and soon you'll be leaping towards your goals with obstacles propelling you forward instead of holding you back .Remember the obstacles are challenges and failures are stepping stones to success. Trials and tribulations will always be there but what will help you succeed is your belief that nothing is impossible .And now at the count of three I want all of you to say together nothing is impossible okay one two three nothing is impossible, Let us try again .this time let's say to the floor nothing is impossible ok, nothing is impossible and now the last time the loudest and with maximum conviction nothing is impossible ladies and gentlemen It was for me an idea worth spreading."

S.S.A.Zaidi

Retd Banker ;Author  &;Motivational speaker

Training and Development Consultant

9987644300