“Effort is within man’s control, not the fruit thereof.”
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Attribution note
Credited to Gandhi via his Gita book but it restates the Gita's teaching that we control action, not results; it is a paraphrase of scripture rather than an original Gandhi maxim, so it is kept at commonly-attributed.
Likely origin: Gandhi's aphoristic rendering of Bhagavad Gita 2.47 karma-yoga ('effort is in our control, not its fruit'), from 'The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi'; the idea is the Gita's.
Review the attribution sourceAbout this quote
You can decide how much care and effort to pour in; you can't dictate how it lands. Fixing attention on the part you actually govern — the work itself — steadies you against outcomes that hinge on luck, timing, or other people. It also frees the effort from being held hostage to a particular result.
When to use it
- A candidate prepares thoroughly for an interview, then accepts that the hiring decision isn't hers to make.
- A gardener waters and weeds faithfully but can't order up the rain or hold off the frost.
- A student who studies well can't control which questions appear, and sleeps easier the night before.