Circle of Influence vs. Circle of Concern

During national elections, we spend a lot of time hearing about things that are in what social psychologists call our "circle of concern." These are events that affect us, but over which we have little direct influence. In contrast, our "circle of influence" consists of a smaller set of actions where our choices make a noticeable difference in the world around us.

A key principle from organizing is that the size of your circle of influence is not fixed. When you focus your attention and energy on actions within your circle of influence, it gets bigger. You grow your power and feel energized. New opportunities open up. But if you don't focus on that and instead spend most of your time thinking about things in your circle of concern, you feel helpless. Your power and influence shrink.

When it comes to politics, most of us are encouraged to focus entirely in our circle of concern. As a result, we feel isolated and powerless. We avoid acting in our circle of influence because what we can do doesn't feel like enough. When you take an action, even a small one, that makes a visible difference, you are acting from the inner heart of your circle of influence, called the "circle of control." These are the activities over which you have the most power. You can, for example, write letter or reach out to a friend. No one can stop you. If they try, you will win. Successfully using your power to do one action (no matter how small) is the seed from which your influence will grow.