This is a very common diagram with three layers of circles, and you may have seen it in many places. My colleagues often remind me of it when I start worrying about work-related things — that something is outside my circle of control — so my worries don’t help at all.

Keep this diagram in mind to stay away from worry and anxiety, not only at work but also in life.

1. Circle of Control: things that you can control
2. Circle of Influence: things that you don’t control but can influence
3. Circle of Concern: things that you can’t control

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Then I found another interesting illustration and article about what we can control — an expanded version of the original diagram — to help identify where we should focus.

Here is the original article from Justin Wright.

He mentioned 22 things — WHAT you can always control. I tried to go through them one by one and reflect on HOW I have been doing.

WHAT from Justin Wright:	HOW from my own reflection
1. Your Attitude Choose to have a positive outlook.	Always show up with the brightest smile and as much enthusiasm as I can.
2. Your Integrity Stick to your values, even when it’s hard.	Know your personal values. I did a PVA (Personal Value Assessment) and focus on what makes me who I am.
3. Your Courage Face your fears and grow.
4. Your Kindness A small act can change someone’s day.	I always keep this quote in mind (and used to have it on my phone screen): “Everyone has their own battles to fight. Be kind, always.”
5. Your Influence Be the leader you’d want to follow.	A leader with a generative leadership style.
6. Your Actions Make decisions you’ll be proud of later.
7. Your Boundaries Say no when you need to.	I am starting to say “no” more, or at least share my point of view — even with people I know could use their power against me.
8. Your Effort Push through when it gets tough.
9. Your Circle Surround yourself with supportive people.	Support others and also receive support from people around me.
10. Your Self-Belief Believe you can, and you will.	I always say that even if there is only 1% hope left, I will still hold onto it.
11. Your Excuses Kill them before they kill your dreams.
12. Your Goals Set them high, but achievable.	SMART goals & vision boards.
13. Your Focus Choose where you direct your attention.
14. Your Limits Break them, then set new ones.
15. Your Time Prioritize what matters most to you.	Family, friends, work, and hobbies: reading, writing, painting, crafting, trekking, hiking, and traveling. I haven’t spent much time on social media, television, or games recently, as they don’t give me what I need during this period.
16. Your Words Speak positively to yourself and others.
17. Your Self-Care Make time for yourself every day.	I used to think I had to spend every moment with my son, but now I also give myself some days alone — hiking in the forest or attending art classes. I need to recharge too.
18. Your Silence Speak up, even when it’s unpopular.
19. Your Inner Critic Put it in its place.
20. Your Mindset Shift from fixed to growth thinking.	I always tell myself and my close friends: if one day you think you are good enough and no longer need to change or improve, then you are dead (inside).
21. Your Purpose Align your actions with your mission.
22. Your Gratitude Count your blessings, no matter how small.

Also in the illustration, there are WHAT outside of your control, but I think, its something you still can influence:

WHAT from Justin Wright:	HOW from my own reflection
Workplace drama	Do not get involved in stories. Use headphones to listen to sounds during work. Focus on your work while you are in the workplace.
The past	Do not live in the past; use it to reflect and learn.
The outcome of your efforts	Progress over perfection. Whatever the result is, progress still matters.
How long something takes	Different people, different paths. Reflecting on my experience, most of the best things in my life happened at a later stage.
Other people’s feeling	I still care a lot about how people feel.
Other people’s opinion	Interestingly, I don’t really care about their opinions.
Traffic	Traffic is bad here, but I don’t worry about it much — except for safety. That’s why I choose cars instead of motorbikes when needed.
Politics	I no longer read political news. It’s not a topic I’m interested in.
The weather
Family Expectation	You may not control what has happened to you, but you can change things for the next generation. Family expectations are often installed in our minds during “human domestication,” and you can choose to break that cycle.

Some areas I am still missing, so I leave them blank to refill in the future.

I’m just curious: how are you doing with the things you can control — and the ones you can’t?

Thank you.