How Much Can You Control

How Much Can You Control I saw an article on Twitter talking about trauma and PTSD, two topics Im interested in. Its a great article, especially if you or someone you know might be struggling with either (I bet everyone knows someone). The article is titled FIVE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES ABOUT TRAUMA. Heres just one snippet that really jumped out at me: Jason:  Early on, my therapist at the V.A. asked me what percentage of my daily life I believed I could control. My answer was 85 percent. He said that the average person will answer somewhere around 50 percent, and that trauma survivors often choose a much higher number, like 80-90 percent. In reality, he said, the truth is actually about three percent. THREE PERCENT. Makes me think that every bit of what has happened to me, good and bad, has little to do with what Ive done, or me. Makes me question how much control we have in our job search (or marriage, or anything). I have always believed that I have had a lot to do with the success of my career, relationships, etc. But THREE PERCENT? Im sure theres a reason for that number. Im not sure that every therapist would agree with it. Years ago I blogged about locus of control, which is the idea that we believe we have control over, or have a part in dictating, outcome. I could imagine an argument that we have very little control over our daily life, where the emphasis is that we dont control much of what happens, but we control how we react to it. I can see that side of the argument, and I agree that we need to react well, and thats on us. But if we dont control more than 3%, why try? Why get out of bed? Why pick up the phone, why do your job, why not just life come at you? I have now talked myself out of the 3%. We have control over more than 3%. Sure, there is luck, circumstance, environment, etc. But the people who want more control take control by making decisions. Go to school. Start a business. Go to the networking meeting. Move to a safer neighborhood. Use better language. Groom yourself. Do something. Be smart about it. And dont sit there and remain a victim. Control the 3% the therapist gives you. Then go out and find 3% more you can impact and then control. And another 3%. Grow into your control. How Much Can You Control I saw an article on Twitter talking about trauma and PTSD, two topics Im interested in. Its a great article, especially if you or someone you know might be struggling with either (I bet everyone knows someone). The article is titled FIVE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES ABOUT TRAUMA. Heres just one snippet that really jumped out at me: Jason:  Early on, my therapist at the V.A. asked me what percentage of my daily life I believed I could control. My answer was 85 percent. He said that the average person will answer somewhere around 50 percent, and that trauma survivors often choose a much higher number, like 80-90 percent. In reality, he said, the truth is actually about three percent. THREE PERCENT. Makes me think that every bit of what has happened to me, good and bad, has little to do with what Ive done, or me. Makes me question how much control we have in our job search (or marriage, or anything). I have always believed that I have had a lot to do with the success of my career, relationships, etc. But THREE PERCENT? Im sure theres a reason for that number. Im not sure that every therapist would agree with it. Years ago I blogged about locus of control, which is the idea that we believe we have control over, or have a part in dictating, outcome. I could imagine an argument that we have very little control over our daily life, where the emphasis is that we dont control much of what happens, but we control how we react to it. I can see that side of the argument, and I agree that we need to react well, and thats on us. But if we dont control more than 3%, why try? Why get out of bed? Why pick up the phone, why do your job, why not just life come at you? I have now talked myself out of the 3%. We have control over more than 3%. Sure, there is luck, circumstance, environment, etc. But the people who want more control take control by making decisions. Go to school. Start a business. Go to the networking meeting. Move to a safer neighborhood. Use better language. Groom yourself. Do something. Be smart about it. And dont sit there and remain a victim. Control the 3% the therapist gives you. Then go out and find 3% more you can impact and then control. And another 3%. Grow into your control.