“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.”
-Steve Maraboli
When thinking about the concept of control, I have a lot of immediate reactions - both positive and negative. In efforts to collect my thoughts and hone in on one idea to discuss, I came across this quote that conveyed an idea I wasn’t thinking about at all: the acceptance of your own lack of power.
So often we think of control in regard to what we control in our lives and the ways in which others control us. We think about the power that we have, and the benefits and side effects of that power. Whenever we think about things we do not have control over, it is typically with a negative connotation. Reading this quote made me think about my relationship with control. As someone who finds herself in the bottom half of the organizational chart, it is easy to fixate on control. I am constantly relating situations to the power and control I do or do not have. As I begin to gain control in some areas, it makes the areas in which I have no control more and more frustrating.
I think the interesting part of the above quote is focusing on what you have control of and owning it. Being an event planner, I have heard a lot of motivational speakers and keynotes. One that always stuck with me was a speaker at a conference for female business owners. I distinctly remember her saying, “How are you supposed to be the CEO of your company if you can’t be the CEO of your own life?” This really resonated with me because the speaker was empowering the audience to take control of their own lives in addition to their careers.
Focusing on the parts of your life that you have control over and making the most of those aspects of your life is the healthiest and most productive way to live your life. As students, you don’t have control of your entire life. What you do have control over is your drive, your performance, your attitude, etc. All of these are incredibly important aspects of growth and development. Someday you will have the control you want; in the meantime, use what you do have control over to drive success for the future.
-Bria