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Focus On What You Can Control

Focus On What You Can Control

In a world that often times feels out of control, technology has increased a sense of being in control.  Smartphones have become the center of our lives in many ways.  There is an app for everything.  Heck, they even come with a personal assistant.  I for one, heavily depend on my calendar to keep me up to date.  As great as this all can be, it has created a false sense of control.  Yes, they do provide a better way to self-manage.  Self-management is where it should begin and end.  It is important to understand the difference between control and self-management.  How much of this world do you really control?  Click on the below picture to watch a 4-minute clip from the movie Instinct with Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding Jr. for some insight.

 

 

Pretty powerful scene huh?  This scene brings to the surface the illusions of control that is all around us.  Let's take this a step further.  If control is an illusion, then what is the point of trying to make things happen?  Control is an illusion outside of ourselves.  The only thing we can control in this life is ourselves.  Everything else is uncontrollable.  At first, this might seem scary.  After thinking about it, you begin to realize that it is freeing and simple.  You have only one thing that you need to control, yourself.  Now if all we did was worry about ourselves it is known as selfish.  What this really means is that worrying accomplishes nothing because there is no control anyways.  Actions, on the other hand, lead to accomplishments.  When life throws curve balls, what matters is how you react to it.  Are you going to blame it on having no control or are you going to see the power within yourself to figure out the new puzzle?

Finances are no different.  You can't control when the car breaks or what the stock market does.  You can, however, control your spending and prepare for the uncontrollable things that are inevitable.  Break down the illusions that surround you.  Begin to see how powerful honest self-management can be.  Controlling your actions and having a vision will lead you in the direction you want to go.

We are here to help if you are ready to take action.