When celebrated author Thomas Friedman started out as a journalist, it took almost 30 years for his profession to move from hand-powered typewriters and landlines to early word-processing platforms. In the last 10 years, we’ve gone from email to social media to iPads and smartphones.
Change is happening faster, and you and your employees can feel overwhelmed. In a world where so many things are outside our control, Reuben Chavez at Think, Grow, Prosper suggests a simple discipline: focus on what you can control, not on what you can’t.
Things you can control:
- Your beliefs
- Your attitude
- Your thoughts
- Your perspective
- How honest you are
- Who your friends are
- What books you read
- How often you exercise
- The type of food you eat
- How many risks you take
- How kind you are to others
- How you interpret situations
- How kind you are to yourself
- How often you say “I love you”
- How often you say “thank you”
- How you express your feelings
- Whether or not you ask for help
- How often you practice gratitude
- How many times you smile today
- The amount of effort you put forth
- How you spend and invest your money
- How much time you spend worrying
- How often you think about your past
- Whether or not you judge other people
- Whether or not you try again after a setback
- How much you appreciate the things you have
“Focus on the circle of things you can control and the circle grows. In turn, the circle of things you cannot control shrinks.” Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The list is long, and almost every item on it is already within your reach. Where will you put your attention?
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