Spheres

We could talk about Earth itself. That’s a sphere. Even a soccer ball since it’s the World Cup. Maybe the moon? The sphere in Vegas is kind of cool!

Or…maybe we talk about three different spheres (or circles) that nest inside of each other: Sphere of Control, Sphere of Influence, and Sphere of Concern. We’ll get to them in just a second.

There’s A LOT happening in the world today. Heck, there’s A LOT just happening in our day-to-day lives. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and even feel paralyzed at times. It’s in our nature as human beings to seek some control over situations, but there are instances where that evolves into wanting to control everything (fear, trauma, and anxiety are strong drivers that can push us to the latter). But controlling everything is an impossible task.

The early Greek philosophers thought about this. A lot. One of them – a guy named Epictetus – said: “Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” Sounds easy, right? But we all know it’s not.

However, having even a basic understanding of these three spheres at least gives a framework for when to maintain control and when to let go.

• Sphere of Control: This is, of course, the smallest circle. It’s the innermost circle both literally and figuratively. It’s about our inner lives. It’s all about the things we can control and change about ourselves – thoughts, beliefs, emotions, reactions, interpretations, and judgements. According to the learned people of the world throughout history, this is where we should spend most of our energy.

• Sphere of Influence: This is the grey zone. We can control our efforts in this zone, but it doesn’t mean we will be able to control the outcomes. For example, we can do everything within our power to prepare for a job interview to increase our chances of success, but it doesn’t guarantee we’ll get the job. We can do everything in our power to support a loved one going through a difficult period in their life, but it doesn’t mean the ultimate result will necessarily be what we want.

• Sphere of Concern: This is the big, honkin’ outer circle. It’s a bunch of external stuff over which we have no control. Things like the weather and economy fall into this circle, as well as the actions, behaviors, attitudes, and feelings of other people.

What does all this mean in the TLDR version? That we can’t control the world around us, but we can control our reactions to it. And from a physical and mental well-being perspective, that’s worth its weight in gold. Focusing most of our energy in the sphere of control gives us the resiliency to face adverse and stressful situations head on.

I’ll leave you with a control joke. 😀 

I remember the first time I saw a universal remote control. I thought to myself: “This changes everything.” 🫠 

Until next week.

Andy

(All written content created the old-fashioned way.)