The Illusion of Control
The clock. The weather. Traffic. The economy. I’ve accepted that all of these things are out of my control.
But, when I’m least expecting it, I come face-to-face with the reality of control. The idea that I’m in control of anything is a dangerous illusion.
I can plan, organize, strategize, supervise and direct with perfect precision, and yet things still go awry. So, how am I to respond to this fundamental lack of control?
It’s tempting to throw an adult temper tantrum and say, “Well, I’m not in control; there’s nothing I can do!” But, the belief that I don’t have a choice is also an illusion.
Even though I’m not in control, I do have choice. When I look around, I see infinite possibilities. My response to this lack of control is my choice, my responsibility.
This week I’m taking responsibility, not control.
How do you respond when you are faced with the reality that you are not in control?
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What do you think?
[...] a problem. It’s a problem because control is a dangerous illusion. It’s a problem because when life doesn’t go according to plan, I am prone to adult [...]
Pingback by My Adult Temper Tantrums on October 27, 2011 at 8:44 am
I know I am the type of person who functions well when things are a certain way, and I enjoy the order that comes from seeming to be “in control”. The last week, I have been bothered by a bit of a bad attitude and sort of gloom. Through different avenues, I have come to see that I was pouting because of a lack of me controling the situtuations around me. I appreciate the reminders that it is not the situations I am in but the way I respond to them that reveals who I truely am and my attitudes are not determined by what is happening.
Comment by Jessica on November 1, 2011 at 9:41 am
I find myself doing the same thing Jessica. It’s actually quite astounding how often I falsely convince myself that I’m in control. So glad to hear that your gloom is lifting as you embrace your freedom of choice!
Comment by Jennifer Hoffman on November 1, 2011 at 11:11 pm