"What you focus on expands." (multiple attributions)
I recalled this quote while watching my brilliant friend, Dr. Tricia James, explain how her modification of Stephen Covey's circles of influence and concern applies to us in medicine.
The outer circle applies to all of those things that are outside of our control. (how insurance companies run their businesses, ACGME rules, etc.).
The middle circle applies to those things we have influence over but not fully control. (healthcare decisions of our patients, perhaps the process of curricular changes in our departments)
The inner circle applies to those things that we have control. (how detailed our notes are, the prescriptions we write, how we choose to think about something, how we allow and regulate our emotions)
When we spend the majority of our time focusing on that outer circle, we are drained and frustrated. In the middle, we can find satisfaction. When we are focused on what we can control, we feel empowered. Plus, we can leverage those things in the center (our thoughts - i.e. our focus and perspectives) to tame any suffering from the other two. We can focus more on the middle and inner circles. We can choose acceptance without endorsement of the outer circle. We can focus on what did go well in the middle circle - when our efforts don't give us our desired outcomes, we can be proud of how we showed up. We can reframe - we can choose to think, "I'm moving the needle ever so imperceptibly"
How much of your time, energy, and attention do you want to devote to each circle? What would be possible for you if you began shifting to such an approach?
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