Personal Development & Coaching

Circle of Influence

Sort your worries into what you control, what you can influence and what you can only accept, then act on the first two.

Time: 15 to 30 min
With: Alone, or with a coach
You get: A sorted list of concerns and a plan for the week

How to use this worksheet

Brain-dump everything on your mind about the situation into the circle of concern.
Move each item to influence if you can affect it, and to control if it is entirely your own choice or behaviour.
Whatever stays in concern is something to accept or monitor, not to fight.
Write one action for control and one for influence for this week.

Your circles

Add items and move them between circles.

Circle of control

Your own attitudes, choices and behaviour

Circle of influence

Things you can affect but not decide

Circle of concern

Things you care about and cannot change

Prompts

Ask yourself

What takes most of your energy right now, and in which circle does it sit?
Can an item in concern be broken into a smaller part you can influence?

Action plan

What will you focus on this week? One thing for control, one for influence, and one thing you will let go of.

Prompts and example

Example

- Control: block the first hour of each day for deep work - Influence: ask my manager for a 15-minute weekly check-in - Let go of: speculating about the reorganisation

Where your energy goes

Before you finish

Each item is in the circle where it really belongs.
At least one concern has been broken down into something you can influence.
The action plan has no items from the circle of concern.

About the circles

Stephen Covey described proactive people as focusing on their circle of influence and expanding it, while reactive people dwell on their circle of concern.

The exercise is simple, which is why it works: the act of sorting turns a vague worry into a decision about where to spend your energy.