Focus on What Matters
There it is again. My heart races for just a few moments.
“What am I going to do about…?” the voice inside my head asks.
Anxiety, you are a familiar “friend” in this New Normal, The Dim Age.
But with “friends” like this, who needs enemies?
Circle of Concern
I stop and ask myself:
How much of this really matters? – That is the Circle of Concern.
Does it really affect me?
Let’s get real. That thing that is happening in Texas that is the Outrage-of-the-day on social media. Does it really impact me?
If I don’t live in Texas, chances are it doesn’t impact me at all.
Does it even concern me?
Probably not.
How much of this can I actually do something about?
Even if we are talking about in my home state or even in my city:
Is it something I can directly do something about myself? – That is the Circle of Control.
If the answer is “No”, then Do I know someone involved? Are they a family member, friend, a co-worker, a neighbor? – That is the Circle of Influence.
If I don’t know the person and don’t have any influence with them as a family member, friend, or acquaintance, the answer is almost surely “No”.
So why waste emotional energy on it?
How many hours do I spend worrying about things I cannot control? Too many.
Tomorrow at work I may have a meeting with a challenging team member, or perhaps a demanding client. I like to role play out and strategize in my mind how I think that it will play out.
What percentage of the time does it play out like I planned? Less than 10%.
Tips to Focus on the Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern
I want to burn less emotional energy. I want to have less anxiety.
I want to be free of the snares that so easily entangle me.
Tip: Focus on the Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern.
Only spend emotional energy on the things that fall inside these two circles; only on the things that really matter.
Re-evaluate your relationships and spend more emotional energy and time on the people within those circles.