Universal · Anxiety
Circle of Control
Three concentric circles — control, influence, neither
About this worksheet
The Circle of Control is a deceptively simple intervention with deep roots — it shows up in Stoic philosophy, in Stephen Covey's Circle of Concern/Influence, and in modern CBT and ACT work with generalized anxiety. The principle: most anxiety doesn't spend its energy on the things we can do something about. It spends most of it in the outer ring — others' choices, the past, the news cycle, hypothetical futures — where attention is the only resource being burned. The intervention is to make the rings literal. Take this week's worries, sort each one into 'I control', 'I can influence', or 'neither', and then redirect attention proportionally. Worries that land in 'control' become action items. Worries in 'influence' get one ask or one try. Worries in 'neither' get named, grieved, and released — not solved. The page itself does most of the cognitive work; the conversation in session is about what the client notices when they see where their attention has actually been living.
When to use it
- Generalized anxiety, anticipatory anxiety, rumination, news-cycle overwhelm.
- Parenting overwhelm, caregiver stress, workplace burnout.
- Chronic illness and grief — naming what is and isn't controllable is part of acceptance work.
- Pair with the Worry Time worksheet for clients who keep returning to uncontrollables.
How to use it
- 1Brain-dump the worries
Five minutes, no editing. List everything that's been chewing on attention this week.
- 2Sort into the rings
Each worry goes in exactly one ring. If a client argues about placement, that's often where the work is.
- 3Convert control items to actions
Each 'I control' worry becomes one concrete action this week. No action = it wasn't really in your control.
- 4Make one influence move
Pick one 'I can influence' worry and define the single ask or try. Then let outcome go.
- 5Grieve the outer ring
Name out loud what's in 'neither.' Acknowledgment, not solving. Many clients have never said these things out loud.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Circle of Control come from?+
Stoic philosophy (Epictetus's dichotomy of control), updated by Stephen Covey as Circle of Concern vs. Circle of Influence in 'The 7 Habits.' Modern CBT and ACT versions add a third ring (influence) between control and not-control.
Is this the same as the serenity prayer?+
Essentially yes — 'accept what I cannot change, change what I can, wisdom to know the difference' is the same dichotomy. The worksheet operationalizes the prayer with a third middle ring for things we can influence but not control.
What if everything feels uncontrollable?+
Common in depression and chronic illness. Start very small — you can usually control breath, posture, what's in your hands, the next 60 seconds. Those count. The point isn't a long list; it's any list.
How is this different from acceptance work in ACT?+
It's a gateway exercise. Sorting makes the difference visible. ACT's acceptance work is what happens with the items in the 'neither' ring — willingness to feel the discomfort without trying to solve it.
Related worksheets
Worksheet — Circle of Control — provided by TherapistAssist for clinical use. Not a substitute for assessment or treatment.