In this series, we are applying the three things you can control to a variety of mental models to help you envision how this tool can play out practically in your life.This time, we will look at it in relation to the two circles and how you can control your perspective.
The two circles can help us to determine if we are playing the victim, helpless in the face of our circumstances, or if we are taking agency over our own lives. This is especially important as we consider the three things you can control, which are:
- Your actions and choices
- Your attitude and perspective
- Whom you trust
Some tools are aimed at warning you away from trying to control things that are outside of your control such as the choices of others or the future. The two circles are meant to help you realize what you are not taking agency over that you should be seeking to control.
The Victim Circle
The first of the two circles is the victim circle. In this circle, you view yourself as being tossed in the wind by your circumstances and let your situation control your choices and perspective. In the victim circle, if your circumstances are good you’ll have a positive perspective and if they aren’t then you won’t. It’s hard to keep focus on your Transcendent There in this circle because you will always be trying to find a way out of your circumstances instead of pursuing something more meaningful.
The Circle of Choice
The second of the two circles is the circle of choice. Remember that one of the three things you can control is your choices and actions. In this circle, you recognize that you cannot control your circumstances but you can control your choices and perspective within those circumstances. People who live out of this circle do not allow their environment to dictate their attitude but keep their eyes on their Transcendent There, focusing their efforts on a greater goal.
If life has dealt you a bad hand, it is easy to think that you have no control in the situation. It’s true that things like your health, employment, and accidents are ultimately out of your control. But even in these circumstances, you can still choose how you will spend each day, what you will work toward, and what kind of perspective you will have about the situation.
Gracie McBride is the Content and Systems Management Coordinator for The Crossroad.
