“Concern yourself with the purpose of your actions, not their consequences; beginnings are in our power, but Fate judges the outcome. And I do not grant her verdict upon me.” — Seneca
It’s just a fact of life that we’re not going to hit all the targets we aim for. But Stoicism teaches us that hitting the target isn’t the important part. The reason is simple: because whether or not you hit what you’re aiming for isn’t totally in your control.
No matter how well you aim, lots of stuff could go wrong after you shoot your arrow. The wind could blow it off target, a bird could fly in its path, whatever.
For a Stoic person, what matters is all the stuff we do right up until we shoot the arrow. The training, the studying, the preparation. That’s all stuff that’s in our control.
Your immediate actions might be up to you, but the final results are not. So stop judging yourself on whether or not you hit your targets. Instead, focus on how well you prepared for it. Focus on the process, not the outcome.
As Epictetus said, “make the best use of what’s in your power, and take the rest as it happens.”