The Stoic Reserve Clause: A Reminder of Detachment

Have you ever felt stressed or anxious, caught up in worrying about the outcome of your actions? In a culture that values winning and achieving over everything else, it's easy to become attached to the result of your efforts. What's often neglected are these tiny little steps necessary to achieve something. Here comes the Stoic Reserve Clause in the game. It's a helpful reminder to detach ourselves from the outcome of our actions. Instead, it urges us to focus on our actions themselves. Why? Because they are totally within our power. 

What Is The Stoic Reserve Clause?

"I will set sail unless anything happens to prevent me, I shall be praetor, if nothing hinders me, my financial operations will succeed, unless anything goes wrong with them. This is why we say that nothing befalls the wise man which he did not expect - we do not make him exempt from the chances of human life, but from its mistakes, nor does everything happen to him as he wished it would, but as he thought it would: now his first thought was that his purpose might meet with some resistance, and the pain of disappointed wishes must affect a man's mind less severely if he has not been at all events confident of success." Seneca, Of Peace of Mind 13

As the outcomes of our actions are rarely controllable, we can find peace and fulfillment by focusing on the process rather than the final result. It is nothing less than the practice of the three Stoic disciplines. We detach ourselves from the outcome (desire) and acknowledge that we might fail (assent/judgment) by acting with a reserve clause (action).

Acting with reservation or a so-called "reserve clause" is, therefore, a clever strategy Stoics established that allowed them to keep serenity and peace of mind even if their actions didn't end up as intended.

And the most remarkable thing is that it's so effortless to implement. Just add a few words to the end of a sentence. 

Here are 7 examples of the Stoic Reserve Clause: 

1. I will go to the gym this afternoon, fate permitting.
2. We'll have a picnic with our friends tomorrow unless nothing prevents us.
3. God willing, I will go to the concert on Saturday.
4. Unless circumstances change, I'll be able to finish this project by the end of the week.
5. I will read a book this evening, fate willing.
6. Inshallah, I'll be able to meet you for lunch.
7. Unless something unexpected happens, we'll go on vacation next week.

There are a lot of possible ways to use the reserve clause. Just use one that resonates with you and your personality. I recommend always using the same one, which makes this practice pretty straightforward. But you can also choose different ones depending on the circumstances. That's totally up to you. Play around and see what works best.

Why You Should Start Using The Reserve Clause

It's often discouraging when our actions don't have the intended results. By adding a reserve clause, we remind ourselves that we're not controlling the outcome and that a plan might not have the desired effect. We accept beforehand that something could go wrong or hinder us from our goals. Doing this will help us remain calm and rational and keep our peace of mind. Such a mindset helps to achieve a balanced and, in some cases, simpler life (just by reducing emotional complexity). Implementing the reserve clause is also an excellent exercise for managing your expectations and thinking about obstacles more neutrally.

How Can You Implement The Reserve Clause To Your Life?

"Do what you must; let happen what may." Pierre Hadot, The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

This Stoic technique is so easy that you can bring it to action in less than 10 minutes. Just grab a pen and paper and do the following:

1. Jot down all possible reserve clauses that come to your mind.
2. Create a spreadsheet with two columns. Write everything you want to do this week in column one. Column two is there for your reserve clause.
3. Are you finished writing it down? Read it out loud (of course, each row as one sentence) and picture yourself staying calm when your plan vanishes. 

Congrats, you're done. If you like, make a third column and note all obstacles that might prevent you from your task. Then, it's a combined exercise of the Stoic reserve clause and premeditatio malorum. That's very powerful, just to mention.

Critics of the Reserve Clause

Hey, common. When you assume something can go wrong from the beginning, why start or plan anything? Well, acting with reservation doesn't mean we shouldn't act at all. We simply undertake every action with complete acceptance (amor fati), knowing that the results may not turn out as initially planned.

If the circumstances change, we're not surprised and ready to move on without getting angry, disappointed, sad, or any other negative emotional reaction. It's a way to loosen ourselves from the attachment of desired results or goals.

Final Thoughts

Like it or not, adding a reserve clause to your plans reduces the pressure you might feel toward achieving it. It takes away the sudden surprises of unexpected obstacles or setbacks. You force your mind to acknowledge the various things that might come your way while accepting that you can't control everything. As a consequence, you don't struggle as quickly anymore when something goes wrong. This practice nurtures a proactive Stoic mindset that empowers you to devise strategies to overcome obstacles by realizing them. You don't approach a situation naively but are clear-headed and rational.

Highly recommended; give it a try today!