Dichotomy of Control
Separate what is within your power from what is not, and direct all energy only toward the former. Marcus Aurelius returned to this Stoic principle daily to remain steady under the pressures of empire.
Steps
Write down the situation or worry that is consuming your attention
Draw two columns: 'In My Control' and 'Not In My Control'
Sort every element of the situation into the correct column
Cross out the 'Not In My Control' column — release those items mentally
Choose one concrete action from the 'In My Control' column and do it now
Practitioners
Related Systemsin Mental & Emotional
Stoic Evening Review
End each day by reflecting on what went well, what was in your control, and what you could improve. Marcus Aurelius' daily practice for building wisdom and inner peace.
Gratitude Journal
Write down three specific things you are grateful for every evening. Oprah Winfrey's decades-long practice for shifting perspective from scarcity to abundance.
Emotional Honesty
Write with radical vulnerability and truthfulness about your inner experience. Sylvia Plath's practice of mining personal pain and joy for creative power.
Zen Meditation
Practice zazen — seated meditation with focus on posture, breathing, and emptying the mind. Steve Jobs credited Zen practice with sharpening his design intuition.