Stephen Covey’s concept of the Circle of Influence versus the Circle of Concern comes from his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s a simple yet powerful idea about how we can focus our energy and efforts to be more effective in life.

Circle of Concern

The Circle of Concern includes everything you’re concerned about. This could be things that you don’t have control over, like the weather, global politics, or how someone else behaves. These are things that are on your mind, but you can’t do much about them directly.

Example:

  • The state of the economy: You might worry about rising prices, job security, or the global market, but you have very little control over these factors.
  • Other people’s attitudes: You can’t control how others think or feel, so getting upset about their behavior can waste your energy.

Circle of Influence

The Circle of Influence, on the other hand, includes the things you can actually do something about. It’s where you have power to make a difference, such as your own actions, how you respond to situations, or how you build relationships.

Example:

  • Your own health: While you can’t control everything about your health (like genetics), you can influence it by eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
  • Your work performance: You might not control your company’s policies, but you can influence your own work habits, communication with colleagues, and the quality of your output.

The Key Idea

The key takeaway is that highly effective people spend more time in their Circle of Influence and less in their Circle of Concern. When you focus on what you can control, you feel more empowered and less stressed. Meanwhile, worrying about things outside your control only drains your energy.

So, if you find yourself constantly stressed about things like the news or what others think of you, it might help to refocus on what you can influence — your actions, choices, and responses. What can you do without anyone else’s permission? That’s where you’ll start to see positive change!

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