As we set goals rooted in self-knowledge, and confidently move in the direction of making our place in the world, we must always also make plans for the process required to attain our goals in a world of challenge and change. The stoics recognized that a crucial element in any rational planning process is adaptability, the capacity to flex and adjust as new obstacles or opportunities come our way. Our obstacles can become fuel for our enterprise, if the fire that burns within us is strong enough. If we are strong enough. We can benefit from even mistakes and the difficult surprises that sometimes suddenly come to stand in our way if we are attuned to learning from them and taking any new raw materials they throw in our direction as potential fuel for the next stage of the process.
Wise people are opportunistic in the best sense.
They are always looking for positive opportunities, for openings in the world, for unexpected paths that might advantageously be used in support of the noble goals they are pursuing. The counsel of wisdom here is simple. In a world of challenge and constant change, we need a flexible and adaptive mindset in order to move forward in the most effective ways. We also need a mindset that takes account of little things. Marcus reminds us that all we are responsible for in our quest for success is doing our very best in the effort we make.