“Before the fact” is invariably preferable to “After the fact”, for what should be obvious reasons. If one exercises some degree of control over an outcome you are then not merely a slave to destiny or some deplorable lout wailing plaintively about a vague “opportunity” lost after the entire deck of cards has already been dealt. You are still a player as opposed to strictly being a spectator. You are still a pilot or perhaps a co-pilot and not merely a passenger on the airplane. You are in the arena and not simply watching from the cheap seats high above. You are an actor rather than just embodying an inconsequential prop. You own the moment instead of the moment owning you. You are human as opposed to being an unthinking automaton.
Fred's Soapbox 