Deo volente.
It’s Latin for “God willing.”
The ancient Stoics told us that it’s important to have clear goals but we need to qualify those goals with something along the lines of “if fate will have it.”
“I will travel by ship to Athens. If fate will have it.”
“I will do x, y, or z. If fate will have it.”
They called it the “reserve clause.”
It’s one thing to be super clear on what we’re after and super committed to making it happen. But (very important but!), we need to remember the fact that, ultimately, the results of our actions are always out of our hands.
We’d be wise to remember that the patron god of philosophy was Apollo. Apollo was an archer. The archer does his very best to shoot the arrow straight toward its target but, once he has released the arrow, knows that the outcome is out of his control.
Same with us.
We need to focus on the process (pick a wise goal, shoot the arrow straight!) and let the outcome be what it is.
So, Deo volente in the beginning when we share our goals with ourselves and co-creators.
And then (for me, anyway), “Thy will be done.”
We don’t hit the target? OK. It is what it is. Thy will be done.
It’s time to love what is.
The Stoics called this part of the equation the “art of acquiescence.”
Whatever is, IS. As Byron Katie says, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to argue with reality. We’ll lose. But only every time.
Accept what is. (Love it!) Get clear on the next target. Shoot straight.
Enjoy the process.
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