What Does Agency Really Mean?

When you hear the word “agency,” you might think of some dictionary definition about taking action to make something happen. But to me, agency is so much more than that—it’s about choosing to act with purpose, chasing the best possible outcome for yourself and those around you, even when the path isn’t clear.

For me, agency isn’t just about doing stuff. It’s about why you’re doing it. It’s that moment when you decide to step up, make a choice, and shape what happens next—especially when it’s tough or uncertain. It’s about having the freedom and the guts to say, “I’ve got this,” and mean it.

But here’s the thing: agency doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If you’re in a place where you feel unsafe, ignored, or undervalued, it’s hard to feel like you can make a difference. That’s why I think agency is also about creating space—space where people feel heard, supported, and free to take action. One spot where I’ve seen this come to life is in my college club, the Society of Robotics and Automation at VJTI. It’s a place where we build cool things, sure, but more than that, it’s where we lift each other up to try, fail, and try again.

So when I talk about agency, I’m not just talking about making moves. I’m talking about setting the stage for action—giving yourself and others a voice, owning your choices, and believing that what you do matters. Even the small stuff counts.

Finding My Own Agency

When I first started thinking about what agency means to me, I had to ask myself: What am I really about? Like, what do I want to stand for? Not just “I want to build robots” or “I want to get a degree,” but something deeper.

What Kind of Person Do You Want to Be?

We’ve all heard people say, “I want to be an astronaut!” or “I want to be a doctor!” And those are awesome dreams. But I think the real question is: What kind of person do you want to be, day in and day out? Maybe it’s “I want to be curious,” or “I want to make people feel seen,” or “I want to keep trying new things, no matter what.”

Those kinds of goals—they stick with you. They’re not just about hitting some finish line; they’re about how you show up every single day. When you start thinking like that, you figure out where your agency lives. It’s not just about what you accomplish—it’s about who you are in the moments that matter to you.

Agency Is a Compass

So, what’s agency, really? It’s that fire inside you, that stubborn push to make things better—for yourself, for others, for the world. It’s knowing you’ve got the power to shape your path and helping the people around you see they’ve got that power too. Whether you’re tinkering with circuits, leading a group, dreaming up new ideas, or just figuring out who you want to be, your agency is like a compass. It keeps you pointed toward what’s possible.

And the more we nurture that spark—in ourselves and in each other—the bigger, brighter, and more incredible the results can be.