An Unfortunate Strategy

[DISCLAIMER]

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The authors quote Stoic philosopher Seneca who stated, “Fortune doesn’t have the long reach we suppose, she can only lay siege to those who hold her tight. So, let’s step back from her as much as possible” (page 189). What might the philosopher have meant?

Fortunate can be defined as a very large sum of money. However, Seneca referenced a gender-specific entity. In this view, he likely evoked thoughts relating to Fortuna. Of this topic, one source states:

Fortuna (Latin: Fortūna, equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche), historically anglicized as Fortune, is the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Roman religion who, largely thanks to the Late Antique author Boethius, remained popular through the Middle Ages until at least the Renaissance.

The blindfolded depiction of her is still an important figure in many aspects of today’s Italian culture, where the dichotomy fortuna / sfortuna (luck / unluck) plays a prominent role in everyday social life, also represented by the very common refrain “La [dea] fortuna è cieca” (Latin Fortuna caeca est; “Luck [goddess] is blind”).

Given this context, Seneca alluded to fortune which may be defined as prosperity attained partly through luck—the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual. Noteworthy, I stated in a blogpost entitled Fortuna: Is It Luck or Effort?:

Even as many people with whom I’ve discussed this topic [fortune, deities, etc.] readily disregard the proposed existence of gods and goddesses, they regard luck as some supposedly indisputable force within the world.

Personally, such a view is irrational (not in accordance with both logic and reason). Then again, I’m wise enough to know that I don’t know everything. Therefore, I remain agnostic (holding the view that any ultimate reality, such as a supreme being, is unknown and probably unknowable).

Is Fortuna real? I don’t know. Is it the case that an undetectable force is responsible for fortune? I don’t know. What I do know is that I try not to live my life in subscription to irrational beliefs.

Even as I don’t believe in Fortuna or luck, I often refer to matters as “fortunate” (bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain) or not. When doing so, I’m not invoking a deity or mystic force. In any event, authors of The Daily Stoic state of Seneca’s perspective (page 189):

Machiavelli, who supposedly admired Seneca, says in The Prince that “fortune is a woman, and it is necessary, in order to keep her down, to beat her and struggle with her.” Even for the sixteenth century, it’s pretty horrifying imagery. But for a ruthless and endlessly ambitious ruler, it was par for the course. Is that the nasty lifestyle you’re after?

Now compare that view with Seneca’s. Not only is he saying that the more you struggle with fortune, the more vulnerable you are to it, but he’s also saying that the better path to security is in the “impregnable wall” of philosophy. “Philosophy,” he says, helps us tame the “mad frenzy of our greed and tamps down the fury of our fears.”

Fortunately, I’m not in need of physically battering an imaginary deity. Likewise, I don’t waste what little time I have in this life worrying about whether or not a supernatural force will favor me. Regarding this approach to rational living, authors of The Daily Stoic conclude (page 189):

In sports or war, the metaphor here would be the choice between a strategy of endless, exhausting offense and a strategy of resilient, flexible defense. Which will you play? What kind of person are you?

Only you can answer that question. But you would be remiss not to consider the ultimate end of most of the princes in Machiavelli’s book—and how few of them died happily in bed, surrounded by their loved ones.

“Strategy” may be defined as a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal, usually over a long period of time. Adding to this description, one source states:

Strategy is important because the resources available to achieve goals are usually limited. Strategy generally involves setting goals and priorities, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions.

A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the means (resources). Strategy can be intended or can emerge as a pattern of activity as the organization adapts to its environment or competes. It involves activities such as strategic planning and strategic thinking.

In view of the authors’ perspective, it’s an unfortunate strategy to rely on fortune or luck—mystical forces which may or may not assist in your success with personal interests and goals. Magical thinking of that sort has its obvious limitations.

Instead of reliance of imaginary powers to intervene on your behalf, I invite you to take personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”) for the sake of self-reliance. Still, you’re welcome to use an unfortunate strategy by lying to yourself about fortune and luck.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, fair use

References:

Daily Stoic. (n.d.). Translating the Stoics: An interview with “The Daily Stoic” co-author Stephen Hanselman. Retrieved from https://dailystoic.com/stephen-hanselman-interview/

Easy-Peasy.AI. (2025, August 30). Goddess Fortuna: The goddess of luck [Image]. Retrieved from https://easy-peasy.ai/ai-image-generator/images/goddess-fortuna-096f7306-6fc0-4e12-a7c7-57ae8cd92b51

Holiday, R. and Hanselman, S. (2016). The daily stoic: 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. Penguin Random House LLC. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-daily-stoic-366-meditations-on-wisdom-perseverance-and-the-art-of-living-d61378067.html

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