I will sail across the ocean, if nothing prevents me. 

Attributed to Seneca by Donald Robertson 

The reserve clause is a classic Stoic practice to maintain equanimity and tranquility when you undertake an action. Whether the outcome will turn out as wished or not won’t matter as much, because you know from the onset on that it’s not completely within your control. 

When you plan to do something, you simply add the caveat “if nothing prevents me.” 

Seneca defines the reserve clause with the formula, 

I want to do such and such, as long as nothing happens which may present an obstacle to my decision.” 

Seneca, On Peace of Mind, 13 

I’m going to do this, if fate will have it. I’ll do my best but the outcome is ultimately not within my control. I can’t be absolutely certain that it will come out as planned, but I’ll try my best. 

• I will sail across the ocean, if nothing prevents me. 
• I will work out Monday and Thursday this week, fate permitting. 
• I will hit the target, God willing. 

You set out to do something with the attitude that the outcome is not within your control and you’re willing to calmly accept that things may not turn out as planned. Naturally, people assume that things will go well. And then they’ll get caught by surprise when the outcome is not as planned, and they feel cheated, unlucky, and disappointed. 

As an aspiring Stoic, you bake the reserve clause into everything you do and foresee that something may intervene and prevent your wished outcome. You don’t promise success to yourself beforehand. Therefore, it’ll be easier to accept failure, and you’ll be faster to get up again. Plus, you’ll gain confidence because you’re not overly attached to the outcome. 

With that detachment from the outcome, you’ll be able to maintain your tranquility instead of getting frustrated even if you don’t get the outcome you hoped for. 

The reserve clause implies two points: 

1. Do your very best to succeed; and 
2. Simultaneously know and accept that the outcome is beyond your direct control. 

This is a bulletproof way to maintain your confidence: (1) you try your best to succeed, (2) you know that the results are out of your control, (3) you’re prepared to accept success and failure equally, and (4) you continue to givie your best in every moment. 

That’s classic Stoicism: Focus on what you control, and take the rest as it happens. Focus on the process—effort, training, preparation—and be ready to accept the outcome with equanimity. The reserve clause helps exactly with that. When you add that caveat whenever you set out to do something, you’re well aware that the outcome won’t be fully in your control from the beginning on. And you’ll be prepared to accept success and failure equally. You’re only responsible to try your best, but the outcome isn’t completely within your control, it’s down to fate, luck, or whatever you want to call it. 

It comes down to this: Be aware that sometimes things will not go your way even if you try your best, and regardless of whether you deserved it or not. Let’s not confuse our aspirations with how the universe should turn out. 

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Jonas Salzgeber of NJlifehacks.com is an au-thor. At the core of his actionable philosophy lies the goal of leading a happy life even—and especial-ly—in the face of adversi-ty. He is the author of The Little Book of Stoicism

 

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