Control is Not an Illusion

“Use the Force, Luke!” the ghostly voice of Obi Wan Kenobi echoed in Luke Skywalker’s mind as he made his high-speed approach to the Death Star’s exhaust vent. “Let go. Luke, trust me.”

Sorry to be the one to tell you: Jedi mind tricks won’t work anywhere in our universe. While we can’t control the world, we have the power to control ourselves. You have command of your actions/reactions to others, their words and deeds, and even your own internal thoughts. Mastery begins with understanding basic principles.

Use your energy to get results. Screaming at the television might feel good but won’t change the outcome of a game or stop a politician from doing stupid shit. At best, you can only influence people; persuade them your ideas are the ones to follow. Want to make a difference? Use that energy to volunteer as a local coach. Run for a seat on your local school board or city council. Put your energy to use on things you can control, which is yourself.

Me, Thee, and We. That’s a phrase I read years ago. When you’re healthy, it’s easier to take care of others or get things done. You control your physical, mental, and spiritual fitness. You stay healthy (me). You can then take care of others (thee). Now both of you can look out for each other (we). Same principle applies at work or school. first, finish your tasks (me). That gives you time to help someone else (thee) making it better for the group (we) to help each other. It all begins with you., so take care of yourself first.

Do it, don’t just think about it. Planning is good. Too much planning and analyzing won’t accomplish anything. Make your goal, write out a few critical steps, and go for it. Want to make some quick, impactful progress? Instead of the ‘ready-aim-fire’ sequence try ‘ready-fire-aim’. You’ll miss a few “shots” but hit the target by adjusting as you go.

Remove Doubt. Second guessing yourself stops forward progress. You’ll become entrenched in ‘analysis paralysis’ and even question decisions in the future. Do what you think is best because you’re smart enough to know what’s the best course. What if something goes wrong? Fix the mistakes, learn from it, and keep going!

An inch matters. Crossing the street is a series of steps propelling you forward. You can run, walk, crawl, skip, or sashay. It’s all forward motion. It starts with any size step. In other words, any action is better than stagnation. Just start moving at any speed.

Fix It. Don’t like your car? Buy a new one. Don’t like your job? Find another one. Can’t fit into your pants? Buy a bigger pair or lose some weight. Improving your situation is something you can control. Yeah, some changes will take time, money, or effort. Read the previous paragraph about making small advances on the bigger endeavors. It won’t get better until you take the action to make improvements.

Embrace positiveness. Keep as many happy, encouraging people in your life as possible. Their high energy is contagious. You’ll feel good, have a better spirit, and enjoy the vibe. Remember that attitude goes both ways. Share your upbeat mindset with others to build that synergy.

Shun negativity. The doom-and-gloom people will suck out energy right out of you. Their sour attitude, ‘victim’ mentality, or outright maliciousness is a distraction at best. They are an anchor on your spirit, your life, goals, and happiness. Limit interaction if it’s not possible to keep them away.

Gotta Believe. It’s your life. You’re encouraged to ask family, friends, and mentors for their advice. The final decision is yours, so believe in yourself.

It all comes down to living your life. Be truly in control by being who you want to be each day and be a better you than yesterday. Discover what makes you happy, what gives you purpose, and what you want to be.