DTEB, “Circle of Concern vs. Circle of Influence”

In a wonderful book that I need to reread, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Stephen R. Covey identifies two circles: the circle of concern and the circle of influence. The circle of concern refers to everything that we care about. Many of them are huge and important.  He includes such things as the national debt and the dangers of nuclear war. The circle of influence refers to areas in our lives in which we might be able to do something positive.

Covey goes on to say that the problem is that too many of us operate—or try to operate—directly in our circle of concern. But, since these concerns are not within our sphere of influence, we simply spin our wheels and don’t get anywhere. In fact, such a preoccupation with those things that concern us actually causes our circle of influence to contract. We become less and less able to change anything that concerns us.

Now, I think that it is safe to say that a lot of us right now are concerned with a lot of different things. This may be the greatest understatement that I have ever made in my life. Think about it: COVID-19, economic havoc, racial injustice, political instability—and that’s just today’s headlines. There are plenty of other things that concern us. And these things should concern us!

However, if we spend too much time on these things, thinking about them, worrying about them, talking about them, we simply dimmish our ability to do anything about them. Our circle of influence contracts.

For those of us who are praying people, even “praying about” our problems and concerns can be a euphemism for worry. I am reminded of an old Christian hymn that counsels us to “Take your burdens to the Lord.” But the hymn lyrics don’t stop there. The lyrics say, “Take your burdens to the Lord, and leave them there.” Even those of us who claim to be believers are prone to taking our burdens to the Lord, and then picking them right back up. That is why so many of us are bent over before we’re forty years old.

The circle of influence refers to areas where we can make a positive difference. These are areas where we are more or less in charge. Let me give a simple example. I can’t do anything directly about COVID-19. It is something that concerns me for sure. And it should! But I am not a medical person or a scientist. (I got straight Ds in chemistry, and the only reason I didn’t get Fs was that the teacher liked me and knew that I was a good student in my other classes.)

But what I can do is wear a mask and practice social distancing. I can wash my hands. I can take the vaccination when I get the chance. These actions are within my sphere of influence.

In the case of this pandemic and in a multitude of other concerns, the best question I can ask at any given moment is this: “What can I do right now to stay within my circle of influence to make a positive difference in this concern of mine?”

One of the many ways in which we get way out of our sphere of influence and into an illegitimate preoccupation with what concerns is our consumption of information. This has been called “The Information Age.” I’m not so sure that it shouldn’t be called “The Misinformation Age.” But no matter what you call it, it is largely a snare and a delusion. Even if the information is good and true (and much of it is not), does it really help us to change things? In most cases, I suspect that all the information we consume is junk food. A thing is believed simply because our friends affirm it on Facebook.

But even consuming good, nutritious information can cause our circle of influence to contract. For example, I have been listening to National Public Radio a lot of late. I had to resist the urge to stream NPR live this morning, before I had done my devotions, read my Scriptures, written and posted this post, taken the dog outside, or written my gratitude list. (Of course, I had already had some coffee. First things first!)

Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with National Public Radio. I think that NPR tries to be balanced and to go into depth in its reporting. Do they always get it right? Of course not! But I think they actually try to get at the truth. However, there comes a point when I have consumed all the news that I can handle. Anything more, and I am out of my sphere of influence.

In a deep sense, the Serenity Prayer is precisely what we need at this moment. If I, if we, are to stay in our circle of influence, we need to pray it many times each day. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

There’s a longer version of the prayer that I like even better. It goes like this:

“God grant me the Serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And the Wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time.

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as he did, this sinful world as it is,

Not as I would like it.

Trusting that he will make all things right,

If I surrender to his will.

That I may be reasonably happy in this world

And supremely happy in the next.” (Reinhold Niebuhr, Theologian)

So, may you have a serene, courageous, and wise day! And may you operate in your circle of influence today!