Get More Done by Focusing on Your Circle of Control

The Circle of Control, along with the Circles of Influence and Concern are a simple tool you can use to ensure you are applying your focus in the right place.  Below, we specifically talk about:

• Why You Need to Focus on Your Circle of Control
• The Circle of Control
• The Circle of Influence
• The Circle of Concern

Why You Need to Focus on Your Circle of Control

• Because you have more demands on your time than you have ability to fill those demands.
• Many people spend far too much time and energy worrying about things they ultimately have little influence over.
• Focus on key activities is the single biggest missing ingredient in most businesses.

The Circle of Control

For every activity, and every bit of energy you expend, you need to critically question whether it is in your Circle of Control, or one of the other circles.

• The majority of your effort belongs in the Circle of Control, or at the very least with things that you significantly influence.
• Do not overestimate or underestimate what you control.  Make sure you are honestly assessing what you control and influence.  If you over-estimate your control, you will become frustrated by your inability to make progress.  If you underestimate your Circle of Control, you’ll end up being far less effective than you potentially can be.
• Things in the Circle of Control are how you should measure your success.

The Circle of Influence

If something is not part of your Circle of Control, you can still spend time on them, as long as you significantly influence them.

• These might be shared processes or simply things you provide input to.
• Work to migrate some of the things in your circle of influence into your Circle of Control.

The Circle of Concern

There are many things that you may be concerned with, that you don’t actual control or influence.  This is fine, as long as you realize it for what it is.

• Treat the things in your Circle of Concern as a “hobby”.
• You can have an interest in things that fall into the Circle of Concern, but be careful as to how much time and energy is spent here.

3 Things to Remember About Focusing on Your Circle of Control

1. Consider carefully what Circle specific tasks or accountabilities fall into before lending any effort to them.
2. Don’t under or over estimate your level of control or influence.
3. Those who focus most on their Circle of Control succeed.