The Hopeful Side of Control EP 414

Wanting to be in control sometimes gets a bad rap. For good reason. Think about it. When someone is being controlling it’s not a compliment. Often because we’re trying to control other people, or every circumstance. We’re trying to predict every outcome, or make sure nothing unexpected ever happens. None of that works because we can’t control any of that. But there is another kind of control that can be very hopeful. It’s the control we have over our own actions. Yes, we have 100% control over what we do. I know there are times when I don’t feel like I have a choice, but I do. Sometimes the choice is a hard one, or one that will require a sacrifice, but I do have options and the decision is mine to make.  When we have a goal or something we really want, it’s easy to focus on everything that could get in our way. We think about other people’s decisions, unpredictable circumstances, or whether the final result will look the way we imagined. We think about how we can mitigate all those things. Except we can’t control any of that and it can make a goal feel impossible. What if we started with asking what part of this is directly within my control? Maybe you can’t control whether someone says yes, but you can make the invitation. I can’t control exactly how quickly our business grows, but I can contact one new person today. None of us can control every aspect of our health, but all of us can choose one way to care for yourself. When we identify what we can control, the goal can feel possible. Within reach.  We don’t need control over the entire journey. We only need ownership of our next step. So let go of the outcome for a moment and bring your attention back to today. What is one action that belongs entirely to you? That’s the hopeful side of being in control.