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(from the internet course I'm doing) (elearn.byu.edu. english 4 semi 1)
(I wanna be able to remember it for future reference)
4. They're in our Center of Focus. We each have what we call a Circle of Concern that encompasses everything we're concerned about — our health, a meeting with the boss, a teenage son's plans for the weekend, offensive magazines on display in a neighborhood convenience store, the President's foreign policy decisions, the threat of nuclear war.
We also have another circle that usually falls within this Circle of Concern called the Circle of Influence. This circle defines the area of concern where we can actually make a difference. We may not be able to influence the President's foreign policy decisions or the threat of nuclear war, but we can do something about our health. We may also be able to influence our son's weekend plans or the neighborhood store's magazine display.
But the most effective use of our time and energy is generally in a third circle — the Center of Focus.
In this circle are the things we're concerned about, that are within our ability to influence, that are aligned with our mission, and are timely. To spend time and effort in any other circle diminishes our effectiveness. When we operate in our Circle of Concern, we basically waste effort: on things we have no ability to control or affect. When we operate within our Circle of Influence, we do some good, but what we do may be at the expense of something better. When we set and achieve goals that are in our Center of Focus, we maximize the use of our time and effort.
Interestingly, we find that as we do this over time, our Circle of Influence automatically increases. We find positive ways to influence more people and circumstances.
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To set and work toward any goal is an act of courage. When we exercise the courage to set and act on goals that are connected to principles and conscience, we tend to achieve positive results. Over time, we create an upward spiral of confidence and courage. Our commitment becomes stronger than our moods. Eventually, our integrity is not even an issue. We build the courage to set increasingly challenging, even heroic goals. This is the process of growth, of becoming all we can become.
On the other hand, when we exercise courage in setting goals that are not deeply connected to principles and conscience, we often get undesirable results that lead to discouragement and cynicism. The cycle is reversed. Eventually, we find ourselves without the courage to set even small goals.
The power of principle-based goal setting is the power of principles — the confidence that the goals we set will create quality-of-life results, that our ladders are leaning against the right walls. It's the power of integrity — the ability to set and achieve meaningful goals regularly, the ability to change with confidence when the "best" becomes the "good." It's the power of the four human endowments working together to create the passion, vision, awareness, creativity, and character strength that nurture growth.
To access this power is to create the upward spiral that empowers us to continually put first things first in our lives
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 shadow never seen · Sat Feb 09, 2008 @ 10:12pm · 0 Comments |
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