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Resilience 2 min read

The circle of control

Point your effort at what is actually yours to act on.

The idea

Some things are up to you: your effort, your responses, your choices. Others are not: other people's opinions, outcomes, the past.

Why it matters

Energy spent on what you cannot control is energy taken from what you can. Separating the two does not make problems disappear, but it points your effort where it can matter.

The shift

From "Why is this happening?" to "What is my part in this, and what will I do about it?"

Try this today

Take one stressor. Draw two columns, "mine" and "not mine," and place every element of the problem in one of them. Choose one action from the "mine" column and do it today.

Reflection question

What part of this is truly mine to act on?

Write your answer

Part of: Develop resilience

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