control over life changes we can't predict

I see others who have changed their lives, and I just don't get how. I wish I had the same power.
It seems very weird to me, what others take for granted, that radical life changes can occur in one's life, with the person involved having virtually no idea or clue whatsoever that these changes will take place, even often shortly before the changes occur, and yet, after all is said and done, they look back and say that basically their life changed because they chose to change it.
I just don't get that.
I'm not talking about outcome of our actions, I'm talking about at a certain point we can't even predict those actions that lead to the outcome. Yet we claim to be mostly in control of the direction our lives take.
For example, a person may be a secretary, a dish washer, etc. Then, they're in college, intending to be a teacher, a doctor, whatever. They get a degree, then, not because circumstances force them, but because they "decided", they do something completely unrelated to what they just studied for four or six years, like become an artist or an actor or start a business selling shoes.
And I see this happen all the time, and nobody, the people themselves, or seemingly those around them, are phased by this. They still ask questions like "Why did they choose to do that?"
So, apparently, the feeling is still that the person is in control of their lives.
And I ask, how can someone claim to be in control of their future, when they can't even remotely predict it?
Anyone else ever have any thoughts like this? I wonder if it is just a sign of my illness, and people really are mostly in control, no matter how radically their lives change, and I wonder if due to my illness I see deeper into things, that others just can't see so they claim don't exist.

Hi, danscott! Well, you kind of have a point, if people can't predict their future, it seems like they're not in complete control. But I think the point is that people control their choices as long as they understand the "nearest" consequences even though they don't know for sure what will happen in the distant future.

jasmin wrote:Hi, danscott! Well, you kind of have a point, if people can't predict their future, it seems like they're not in complete control. But I think the point is that people control their choices as long as they understand the "nearest" consequences even though they don't know for sure what will happen in the distant future.

Thanks for the reply.
I see you saying that, even though people can't predict the outcome of immediate actions, they still control those actions.
Maybe it's because growing up, when your personality and outlook on life is formed, I was never given choices. But I think...but, at a certain point, people can't even predict their actions that lead to those outcomes.
Yet people still claim that we are responsible for the way our lives go.
What I understand is if someone's life takes a particular path due to circumstances that forced them down that road.
For example, if they are unemployed, and someone offers them a job as a clown, say, then they become a clown, because they may not like it, but it's preferable to starving.
Yet, often people will take their lives down a certain path, and when you ask them why, they say "I just decided."
And as that decision started in their subconscious, where control hasn't come into play yet, I can't believe that we are in control of the paths our lives take.
Yet most do. And I feel if I thought like most, maybe my life would be different.

Well, the person who offered them a job as a clown did control their own actions when they decided to offer them that job. And there is always more than one choice, or there usually is. It's not become a clown or you'll die, usually.
Maybe your views will change with time.
What are you doing to try and get better by the way?