Is it Within My Control?

I made a mistake...two days in a row. I listened to newstalk radio on the way to work. I heard about the economy crisis, the huge government bail out, the 2% increase in unemployment, the forecast for 1,000 more jobs being cut within the next year in Washington County and to top it off, another college shooting where nine students were killed. I felt like turning around, going back home, climbing under the covers and waiting for the world to collapse. I really felt for a brief moment, that there was no point to come into work today because the bottom is going to drop out anyway. How healthy is that? How productive is that? Well, I decided I better turn off the radio, quit worrying about what is out of my control, and get to work.

There are things that are within in our control, and things that are not. A major cause of stress and unhappiness is when we spend time uselessly worrying about things we have no influence over. Am I saying don't worry about anything and let yourself be pushed around without a fight? No. I am saying focus on the areas within your control. If the economy is slow, don't play victim and blame the government, or congress, or Wall Street, or anyone else for your tough economic situation. Figure out a way to save a bit more and spend a bit less. Focus on what is in your control.

A good golfer, (and I am not claiming to be one) when he finds his ball off the fairway and out in the long grass or stuck in a sand trap, does not blame the course for the faulty layout, or his golf club for it's poor quality or the wind for being too strong. He looks at the placement of the ball, the distance to the whole, the obstacles to be overcome and then he picks the club that will deliver the right distance and lift for that particular situation. He then squares up and takes his best swing. There is no government intervention to bring the ball back onto the fair way. There is not a golf course attendant to come and cut down trees that may be in the way. There is only the golfer, his clubs and the ball. And the golfer understands the overarching rule of the game: "You've got to play the ball where it lays".


So with the circumstances we find ourselves in right now, a few helpful questions we could each ask ourselves are:

1) Right now, what is within my control?

2) What can I do to successfully 'Play the ball where it lays'?

3) Am I ready to square up and take my best swing?

All the best as you focus on what you can control today!