Sphere of Influence
Directing energy toward what you can change
Sphere of Influence
Directing energy toward what you can change
Sphere of Influence
Directing energy toward what you can change
When facing a difficult situation, it is natural to feel overwhelmed by everything happening at once. The Sphere of Influence framework, grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and Covey's proactive model, helps you sort the elements of a problem into what you can and cannot control. Research consistently shows that focusing effort on controllable factors reduces anxiety, increases self-efficacy, and improves problem-solving outcomes (Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010; Hayes et al., 2022).
What Falls Outside Your Control
- Other people's thoughts, opinions, and emotional reactions
- Events that have already happened in the past
- Global events, economic conditions, and societal systems
- How others choose to behave or respond to you
- Natural events such as weather, illness, or aging
- Rules, laws, and institutional policies set by others
What Falls Within Your Control
- Your words, tone, and how you communicate with others
- Your actions and behavioral choices in any given moment
- Your attitude and the perspective you choose to adopt
- Your personal values and how consistently you live by them
- How you spend your time and what you prioritize
- Your effort level, preparation, and willingness to learn
- How you respond to setbacks, criticism, or disappointment
- Your self-care habits including sleep, nutrition, and movement
Applying This to a Current Problem
- Identify a situation that is currently causing you stress or worry
- List every element of the situation you can think of
- Sort each element into controllable or uncontrollable
- For uncontrollable items, practice acknowledgment: notice the discomfort without struggling against it
- For controllable items, choose one concrete action you can take today
- Review and repeat this process whenever you notice yourself fixating on what you cannot change
Key Insight
Letting go of what you cannot control is not the same as giving up. It means redirecting your limited energy toward actions that can actually make a difference. The goal is not to feel nothing about uncontrollable events, but to stop spending your resources fighting them.
Related Worksheets
Circles of Influence on Personal Values
Exploring how your values are shaped by self, family, friends, and society
ACTClarifying What Matters Most
A guided exploration of personal values and how they shape decisions and well-being
ACTCognitive Defusion Strategies
ACT-based techniques for unhooking from distressing thoughts
Use this worksheet professionally
Pro members can fill worksheets online, save progress, customize content, share with clients, and export branded PDFs.
Try Pro free for 7 days →