Understanding Covey's Circles of Influence

Stephen Covey, a renowned author and speaker, introduced the concept of Circles of Influence in his best-selling book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". It's a simple yet profound concept that helps us understand the things we can and cannot control in our lives.

Let's dive deep into this concept.

What Are the Circles of Influence?

The Circles of Influence are a model for understanding our personal and interpersonal relationships and our control over them. They are divided into two main categories: things we can control and things we cannot control. Understanding these categories can help us focus our energies in the right places and avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Things We Cannot Control

Often, we find ourselves worrying about things over which we have no control. This can include the past, weather conditions, the economy, bad drivers and even natural disasters. It's essential to understand that no amount of worry or stress can change these things. The past, for example, is something that we often dwell on. Yet, it's something we cannot change. Similarly, we cannot control the weather, the economy, or how others drive. Natural disasters, too, are beyond our control. All these things fall outside our circle of influence.

Things We Can Control

On the other hand, there are things over which we do have control. These include how we talk to ourselves, the amount of time we spend on social media, how much we exercise, the boundaries we set, how much we support others, our sleep habits, and our self-care routines.

How we talk to ourselves is particularly important. Our internal dialogue can significantly impact our self-esteem and overall mental health. It's something we can control and can change for the better. Similarly, we can control how much time we spend on social media and how much we exercise, both of which can have substantial effects on our mental and physical health.

Other areas in our control include the boundaries we set with others, the level of support we offer to others, our sleep habits, and our self-care routines. All of these can significantly impact our well-being, and they're all things we can control.

Why is Understanding the Circles of Influence Important?

Understanding the Circles of Influence helps us focus our energy on things we can control, leading to more effective actions and less wasted energy. By consciously choosing to focus on what we can change and letting go of what we cannot, we can lead more balanced and less stressful lives.

The next time you find yourself worrying over something, remember Covey's Circles of Influence. Ask yourself if the thing you're worrying about is within your control. If it is, take action. If it isn't, try to let it go. The power of this simple model can have profound effects on your life.

About The Author

Caroline Dakin

Caroline is our Head of Learning & Development and the founder and owner of Caroline Dakin Associates. Her thought-provoking leadership development programs and workplace resilience courses help businesses across the globe to build high-performing teams. Her unique and interactive delivery style encourages participants to question their leadership qualities and challenges them to, not only reach but surpass their potential. Backed up by neuroscience and supplemented with practical tools, techniques and resources, her training inspires action and change for a better, more resilient workplace. Caroline is also an accomplished speaker and can be found sharing her unique take on resilience at corporate leadership events, national awareness days, industry conferences, and educational seminars.