In his classic business book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey encourage folks to draw strong distinctions between "Circles of Concern," "Circles of Influence,” and "Circles of Control."
You might be feeling like 2025 is already filling up your "Circle of Concern." From changes in Washington to wildfires, from global conflicts to bumpy markets, we've all experienced some significant ups and downs that could affect our lives, work, and finances for the rest of the year.
But while none of us can prevent a natural disaster or stabilize tech stocks, we can use Covey's system to reframe our perspective, refocus our energy, and improve our Return on Life.
Circle of Influence
Want to start your dream job? Unfortunately, the company you want to work for has to want to hire you.
Wish your neighborhood was more friendly? Well, you don't get to pick your neighbors.
You can, however, take classes, earn professional certifications, and broaden your work experience to brush up your resume. Or you could try to improve the experience at your current company by pitching in when another team needs help, taking advantage of mentorship opportunities, and focusing on how your work makes life a little easier for your customers.
Closer to home, you could pick up trash in your neighborhood park, help elderly residents with their recycling bins, and share vegetables from your garden. Maybe you could organize monthly neighborhood meetings so folks can discuss issues, suggest solutions, and get to know each other a little bit better.
None of these actions will, in and of themselves, solve the bigger issues. But the effects can ripple out and have a positive influence that helps you achieve your goals.
Circle of Control
DNA is not necessarily destiny. A growing body of research has found that the lifestyle choices we make play a huge role in how likely we are to develop diseases, our health span, and our longevity. If you commit to daily exercise, healthier meals, and regular checkups with your doctor, you're taking control of your health. You could also be dramatically improving your chances of living a longer, happier, more active life.
We also have more control over the quality of our relationships than we sometimes realize. Be more intentional about scheduling date nights and vacations with your spouse. Your kids are always going to remember who coached their soccer team, or that surprise ice cream run after acing a big math test. And sending birthday cards to friends and family you don't see very often can keep you all close no matter how far apart you are.
As for your money, the single most powerful factors in any financial plan are how much you're spending and how much debt you're taking on. One afternoon with your spouse and a blank spreadsheet could be enough to set a new budget that covers your bills, your investments, and a little bit of fun while also eliminating unnecessary expenses and getting your credit cards under control.
Circle of Concern
The more of your energy you focus on your Circles of Influence and Control, the smaller your Circle of Concern is going to feel. And as you start to see the things you can control trending in a positive direction, you might find more proactive ways to shrink your concerns.
For example, scrolling right up until bedtime isn’t going to make you feel any better about the news. Unplug, relax, and get a good night’s sleep so you can hit the ground running tomorrow.
And while you can’t control what’s happening in the financial markets, you might feel a lot less concerned about volatility if you have a balanced, diversified financial plan in place. Let’s talk about how our Life-Centered Planning process can help you to increase the control you feel around your money.
