The Circle of Control | Weekbook #8

Everyone has involuntarily experienced stress, anxiety and nerves, and unfortunately, like almost anything unpleasant, it is seemingly impossible to stop — unless you’re armed with the right tools to help.

In his book, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Steven Covey outlines a theory referred to as the circle of control. It explores the psychology behind increasing the power people have over day-to-day worries and their state-of-mind, which would result in a healthier psyche.

The circle of control is not just a simple circle drawn on a piece of paper though, rather a combination of three distinct circles, each as critical as the next.

The Outer Circle: The Circle of Concern

This is where all concerns are housed, from worries about natural disasters to having enough time to get all the chores done.

Some of the things that live here are controllable, but others aren’t. The challenge is to figure out whether they can be controlled or not and, if they can be, to take action and remove it from the circle of concern.

The Middle Circle: The Circle of Influence

Whilst some worries and concerns can’t be controlled, it is possible that they can be influenced.

This circle grows and shrinks in accordance with the effort put into influencing the outcome of concerns. For example, it is impossible to control the decisions of other people directly, but it is very possible that their decision can be influenced indirectly.

The Inner Circle: The Circle of Control

The final circle represents everything that can be controlled directly through decisions taken by an individual. These decisions are usually internally focused, such as one’s reaction to an event.

All concerns and worries that an individual has must exist in one of the three circles. When that it recognised, it is possible to use a simple rule for each to overcome all of them.

1. For anything remains in the outer circle, recognise that no amount of worrying will improve the situation. It is impossible to control anything that exists here, instead shift focus to your reaction to these external events.

2. For anything that can be influenced, do the upmost to do so. If attempts to influence fail, acknowledge that it likely belongs in the circle of concern instead.

3. For anything that can be controlled, take action at the first opportunity.

Book Notes

All notes are from the book I am currently reading, Radical Candor by Kim Scott.

• A culture of listening is vital to success.

• Don’t just challenge your team, invite them to challenge you back.

• As a leader, you must find a way to give the quiet members of your team a voice.

Try this Podcast

Ending Quote

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Reference & Research Material

• https://www.lifehack.org/927324/circles-of-control

• https://www.thensomehow.com/circles-of-influence/

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