But we don't study these things or care about them. Show me someone who cares about how he does something — not about getting what he wants, but about his own effort and character. When someone is walking around, does he care about his own energy? When he's making a decision, does he care about his own process of deciding? No — he only cares about getting what he's deciding about. If he succeeds, he gets excited and says, "Look how well we thought this through! Didn't I tell you, brother, that when we really think about something, it has to work out?" But if it goes wrong, the poor fool is crushed. He doesn't even know what to say about what happened. Who among us has consulted a fortune-teller about this? Who among us hasn't been careless about his own actions? Who? Give me one name so I can see the person I've been looking for all this time — someone who is truly noble and honest, whether young or old. Name him.
But we neither study these things nor care for them. Give me a man who cares how he shall do anything, not for the obtaining of a thing, but who cares about his own energy. What man, when he is walking about, cares for his own energy? Who, when he is deliberating, cares about his own deliberation, and not about obtaining that about which he deliberates? And if he succeeds, he is elated and says, How well we have deliberated; did I not tell you, brother, that it is impossible, when we have thought about anything, that it should not turn out thus? But if the thing should turn out otherwise, the wretched man is humbled; he knows not even what to say about what has taken place. Who among us for the sake of this matter has consulted a seer? Who among us as to his actions has not slept in indifference? Who? Give (name) to me one that I may see the man whom I have long been looking for, who is truly noble and ingenuous, whether young or old; name him.