Have you ever thought that life is often full of chaos? Politics are deteriorating not just in our country, pandemics continue, the weather is unbearably hot, and floods rise—everything seems unfavorable. These thoughts can happen to anyone because we all live on the same planet, in the same society, facing similar problems to some extent. However, dwelling on such thoughts is certainly harmful to our mental health.
This also affects how we view our life goals or make decisions. Sometimes when we want to do something, we think we can’t because of political situations or societal conditions. A solution lies in developing a psychological approach called narrowing the circle of concern, or Shrinking the Circle of Concern, also known as Locus of Control—a theory that suggests shifting our focus from external (outside) factors to internal (within ourselves).
Imagine driving on a pitch-dark road. Using high beams is like focusing on the external circle—you see far ahead, the road edges, and many events, causing you to attend to too many things, which can lead to stress or worry. Conversely, using low beams to see only the road immediately ahead, focusing only within the internal circle, allows steady driving, noticing nearby obstacles without anxiety, without needing to process excessive distant information beyond your reach.
The external circle represents large situations, conditions, or circumstances beyond our control that indirectly affect us. The internal circle consists of matters we can manage here and now—things we can control.
This article isn’t encouraging blind optimism or ignoring larger issues beyond ourselves. Ultimately, focusing on and controlling what we can is the healthiest mindset for our mental well-being. Constantly making excuses by blaming factors beyond our control keeps us stuck and unable to move forward from where we stand.
What is Locus of Control?
As mentioned earlier for illustration, Locus of Control is a concept created by Julian Rotter in 1950, explaining how external and internal factors affect life outcomes. He described that people see the world in two ways: those who believe they control their lives and design their own fate, weighting their own actions regardless of success; and those who believe life is controlled by luck, others’ actions, including society, politics, and people around them. If they fail, they attribute it more to uncontrollable external forces than themselves.
Research clearly shows that people who emphasize what they can control have better mental health and experience less stress. One study, "Locus of Control and Its Association with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Mexican University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study," examined students after the pandemic. Researchers found students tended to feel stressed by threats beyond their control, risking chronic or severe conditions, while controlling what they could served as a strong protective shield for their mental health.
How to effectively control what you can control
The issue of Locus of Control applies not only to long-term actions like life goals but also daily life, such as work and decision-making. Even leaving the house requires consideration. Let’s explore ways to make decision-making or viewing the world easier for better mental health.
Identify what kind of person you are
Before controlling what you can or adopting an internal circle perspective, you must identify your self-talk. Whenever you say things like “I have to work again,” “There’s nothing I can do,” “Why does this have to happen to me?” or “This makes me so angry,” it means you are focusing on the external circle—things beyond your control.
People focusing on the internal circle usually say things like “I will work today and get my regular paycheck,” “I haven’t found a solution yet but will look for one,” “What role do I have and how should I respond?” or “I choose to let this not make me angry.”
Clear out your Brain Dump
When facing problems or worries, our brain can’t distinguish what is controllable and what isn’t. We feel overwhelmed by issues coming from all directions. To visualize this worry, writing it down is the best method. Start by drawing two columns and listing what blocks you—family, work, economy, etc.—then write on the other side how you will handle those obstacles.
If you realize some factors are beyond your control, cross them out to remind yourself you can’t control everything and avoid obsessing over them.
The 5-minute rule
Focusing on what you can control is abstract, so try deciding what you will do in the next 5 minutes, for example:
You can’t control a huge project, but you can control yourself to draft an email.
You can’t control a chronic illness, but you can control yourself to drink water now.
You can’t control the city noise, but you can wear headphones or earplugs for these 5 minutes.
Make small commitments
We often lose confidence, especially when facing uncontrollable problems. We need to commit ourselves to small activities to rebuild confidence.
Set small daily goals that you fully believe you can control or accomplish, like making your bed, doing 10 push-ups, reading one page, or even cleaning the bathroom mirror.
After completing them, remember to acknowledge your achievements, as this is crucial for restoring dopamine, making you feel confident in your actions again.
Use the If/Then method
Since the world doesn’t revolve around us and not everything is controllable daily, try thinking in If/Then terms to prepare for unexpected situations. This reduces stress and anxiety from on-the-spot problems, for example:
If I get stuck in traffic going home, then I will listen to this podcast to pass the time.
If my boss assigns work just before leaving, then I will communicate that the remaining tasks will be delayed until tomorrow.
This internal circle approach is similar to Stoic philosophy, which teaches that we should be masters of our emotions and thoughts and let uncontrollable things follow their course. Thinking too broadly can cause fear of handling situations, but narrowing your view to what you can reach lets you see achievable steps. Success in small things eventually leads to greater accomplishments.
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