Fortune Can’t Touch This
“Fortune has no jurisdiction over character.” – Seneca
The ancient Stoics drew a clear line between what is within our control and what is not. Our actions—how we respond, how we choose to behave—are within our control. These actions, when guided by virtue, form the bedrock of good character.
Everything else? That’s the domain of Fortune.
In the Stoic tradition, Fortune represents the unpredictable forces of life—luck, chance, external events. I’ve had many moments where I did everything “right,” yet the outcome was far from what I hoped. One of life’s hardest lessons I’ve learned is realizing that doing everything right doesn’t guarantee the result you want.
Fortune also has a knack for throwing little irritants into the mix: traffic at 7:15 a.m. when I’m rushing to work, a leaking dishwasher just as I’m heading to bed, a meeting that should’ve been an email, or a computer update right before a therapy session. And then there are the bigger curveballs—getting sick on the first day of a new job, the end of a relationship, unexpected expenses, or even a global pandemic.
These things are not up to us. We cannot control Fortune.
When things go well, offer a quiet “thank you” to Fortune. Reflect on the virtuous actions that helped you along the way. Celebrate. Feel pride for your virtuous actions and accomplishments. Yet stay humble—Fortune can change your circumstances in an instant.
When things go poorly, accept the reality before you. Don’t wish it were different. Don’t curse Fortune—she’s indifferent. And don’t pity yourself, because you haven’t lost the most precious thing: your character. Fortune cannot corrupt your soul. Only you can do that.
We’ve all made choices that darken our character. But Fortune, in her own way, offers us chances to redeem ourselves, to learn, to recommit to virtue. As Virgil (The Aeneid) wrote, “... In this the task and mighty labor lies.”
Whatever Fortune brings, may I respond with virtue—and let go of attachment to the outcome. That is up to me.