Hi!
When you’re stressed or dealing with a lot of frustration have you ever received the advice to “focus on what you CAN control?”
I have. It’s annoying, probably because it’s true. But also because it’s not usually the things actually in my control that are the most frustrating!
Today on The Resilience Think Tank we focused on uncertainty and one of our featured guests gave me a new way to think about this old advice. Corey Robinson is currently a journalist and reporter for NBC, and he’s reported on some high stakes, big stage events (like championship games at every level, including the Beijing and Tokyo Olympics) and has interviewed more gold medalists and champions than I’ll ever meet. He himself has been an award winning athlete, and so I wasn’t surprised when he said that his own strategies for dealing with uncertainty at work are centered around honing his discipline and his craft. Sure, “control what you cancontrol” and all that.
Then he said something that I’d never considered:
“Control your joy. Joy is an inexhaustible commodity.”
Joy is ever renewable and totally in our own control. Whoa! “Control what you can control” has always felt to me like someone saying “stay in your lane” or “put your head down and keep working.” Corey says no, not at all. He suggests we navigate uncertainty by looking for joy at any time in any circumstance. We don’t have to, of course, but we could always choose to. Joy is ours for the taking.
I’m going to try this! I’ll report back.
And I’m asking you – where is some joy for you to take today? Hit reply and tell me. Joy is anywhere we choose to see it and take it. Will you share some of yours with me?
All my best,
Dr. G
