
Be passionate, but don't worry about the results.
If you consider the Stoic sage, he doesn't exist. He's an ideal to which you aspire.
Philosophy is the action on the philosophical path, not the theory embodied in perfect being.
And every action you take contains an element of uncertainty.
When you undertake an action {{username}}, of course you don't know in advance what the result will be. But that doesn't matter. All that matters is your rational assessment of the likelihood that the action will be performed in accordance with your desires, knowing that many external circumstances can jeopardize the expected outcome.
So you never know in advance whether you're doing the right thing,
but you must always intend to do the right thing.
When you start something, be passionate and eager about it, but don't worry about the results. Don't tell yourself, "I'll be unhappy if it doesn't work out," but rather, "If it doesn't work out, I'll have done my best."
Seneca tells us:
“[…] To this objector we shall answer, that we never should wait for absolute knowledge of the whole case, since the discovery of truth is an arduous task, but should proceed in the direction in which truth appeared to direct us.
All our actions proceed in this direction:
it is thus that we sow seed, that we sail upon the sea, that we serve in the army, marry, and bring up children. The result of all these actions is uncertain, so we take that course from which we believe that good results may be hoped for. Who can guarantee a harvest to the sower, a harbour to the sailor, victory to the soldier, a modest wife to the husband, dutiful children to the father? We proceed in the way in which reason, not absolute truth, directs us.” 1
Uncertainty need not dampen your aspirations,
and being uncertain in no way means not showing desire to do.
On the contrary, accepting uncertainty means doing everything you can to achieve your goals, without obsessing over a possible outcome.
In the intention to do the right thing //___ lies the right thing ___//.
Your life is a sequence of good intentions, like a dance in which one movement follows another, with the intention at each moment to execute the movement as perfectly as possible.
You must distinguish between the goal and the purpose 2; but in reality {{username}} your goal becomes your purpose when you have internalised the above considerations and when it is animated by a good and true intention.