《淮南子·主术训》
撇开自己所能做、所应做的事，而要求自己去做那些自己无法控制的、自己不应做的事，这实际上是违背了事理。士人处在卑微隐逸的地位时，要想上进有所表现，必须首先从自我修身养性做起。
释己之所得为，而责于其所不得制，悖矣。士处卑隐，欲上达，必先反诸己。
Putting aside what you can do and should do, while demanding yourself to do things that you cannot control and should not do, is actually going against the way things are. When a scholar is in a humble and reclusive position, in order to make progress and show his worth, he must first start from self-cultivation and self-improvement.