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No man can order his life, for it comes flowing over him from behind ... The one secret of life and development is not to devise and plan but to fall in with the forces at work - to do every moment's duty aright - that being the part in the process allotted to us: and let come - not what will, for there is no such thing - but what the eternal thought wills for each of us, has intended in each of us from the first.

George MacDonald#34

LifeDutyAcceptanceDestinyMindfulnessPurpose

About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker advises accepting the flow of life and focusing on immediate duty rather than rigid planning.
In plain terms
Do your duty now instead of trying to control everything.
What can you take from it?
Focus on present duties rather than rigid plans.

Where it applies

  • career planning
  • spiritual practice
  • stress management

Putting it to work

  • practice mindfulness
  • accept uncertainty

Questions to consider

  • How much should you plan?
  • Is life truly random?

Another view

Planning is also necessary for safety and progress.

More from George MacDonald

  1. No indulgence of passion destroys the spiritual nature so much as respectable selfishness.

    Permalink to quote #33
  2. The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a temporary state of reservation, the more I appreciate and sympathize with a given disease. The body …

    Permalink to quote #35
  3. Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it.

    Permalink to quote #32

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