In how we conduct ourselves everyday, it’s important to remember a seriously underrated point of interest: it’s not about whether you hit your target, but how true your aim was that mattered.


Thor in Infinity War is a terrible example of what I’m speaking about.

My visual gag is of course a hilarious way to undercut my point, but it also highlights an important notion about philosophy: it can’t always be applied to every scenario, isn’t always quite literal, and is in no way, shape or form, some magical cure all panacea that makes everything better, nor does it transform the world into a totally comprehensible place, nor does it help to create a perfectly distilled, problem free essence of yourself, or the everyday. Good philosophy matters because it helps you think, it helps one focus on what matters, and can help act as a guiding force of wisdom, in how to help navigate the difficulties of life, even if it can’t always make everything instantly satisfying.

An important reminder, especially with today’s Words of Wisdom being “Hitting the Target”: it’s not about accuracy in a literal sense, but intentionality that matters. I borrow the notion from the old Greek school of thought called Stoicism, which is a school of philosophy that is all about living virtuously, dealing with one’s emotions, and letting go of what we can’t control of. In a sense, a lot of Stoicism boils down to temperance, and how to live a good life, through a sense of idealization of self, and realizing that virtue is the greatest good, and the soundest of reasoning, in how to live everyday.

To that point, I reference the words “Hitting the Target”, within a metaphysical sense. In the spirit of that notion, one has to realize and accept one’s own limitations, what’s beyond our control, and how you can still make a difference by doing your best, even against stacked odds. Looking at it through the lens of the Stoics eyes, one can frame it within a reductionist sense, and that is simply: “you can achieve the goal without hitting the target”. If you break the advice down in a virtuous sense, it refocuses on the notion of intentionality, and how at the end of the day, even if you don’t “succeed” in the traditional sense, and end up missing your originally intended target, you may still be able to claim victory in another way, within the realm of your aim being true. If you put forth the effort, and lived virtuously, attempting to do the right thing, with absolutely everything within your power that you could. Even if things don’t turn out the way you would have hoped, you can live with a clean conscious in knowing you did the greatest good you were capable of, and commited to making a positive difference within your own means of capability.

Though this philosophy can seem like a somber consolation prize of sorts, it is a strong reminder life doesn’t always turn out the way you hoped, but that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. In fact, I’m kind of reminded of when Atticus Finch is gathering his things to leave the courthouse at the end of “To KIll a Mockingbird”, when his defense of Tom Robinson fails. While ultimately, it is a terrible thing that the system was crooked, and Tom was found of being guilty by a broken, racist system, Atticus did everything he could to attempt to help him. Even in failure, He lived virtuously by caring, and fighting to the end to make a positive difference, and for that, he retains his dignity as being a good man, cause he did the right thing. I’ve always been inspired by this line of thought, and it’s why I will go to my grave saying “Empathy is the greatest wisdom”.

And in the midst of hardship, sometimes, that’s all we have left.

As always, takes care of yourself, and others.

~Pashford