Name the concern
Write one concrete thought, worry, deadline, reaction, or outcome. Specific items are easier to sort than a general feeling of stress.
Put your energy where it can move something
What is in your hands—and what is not?
Turn a noisy pile of worries into two honest lists. Drag each item to where it belongs, find the part you can act on, and let the rest become lighter.
Sort what is on my mind
Your circle of control
Sort the thought. Keep the useful part.
Saved only in this browser
Start with an example:
Focus check
Add a thought to begin sorting.
You do not have to solve everything at once.
0 in my hands
0 not in my hands
Drag cards between the lists. On a keyboard, focus a card's grip and use the left or right arrow.
IN MY HANDS
Things I control
My choices, effort, boundaries, attention, words, and next actions.
Place something workable here
Ask: “What part of this can I choose or influence today?”
OUTSIDE MY HANDS
Things I don't control
Other people, the past, the weather, uncertainty, and final outcomes.
It is okay to set something down
Not yours to control does not mean not yours to care about.
The middle is where the work happens
You may not control the outcome. You can still control your next move.
Some concerns belong partly in both lists. You cannot control whether a presentation impresses everyone, but you can control how you prepare. Rewrite the concern until the part that belongs to you becomes specific and usable.
A useful reframe
OUTSIDE MY HANDSWhether I get the job
IN MY HANDSPreparing three clear examples of my work
A simple online circle of control exercise
Things I control vs things I don't control
When your mind treats every concern as an assignment, your attention gets spread across problems you can change and outcomes you cannot. This free online control worksheet gives those concerns separate places. The goal is not to stop caring. It is to see where effort can actually help.
Drag it honestly
Put choices and actions in “Things I control.” Put other people, past events, and uncertain outcomes in “Things I don't control.”
Find the next move
Choose one item from your control list and make it smaller. For everything else, practice allowing it to be unresolved for now.
Examples of what you can and cannot control
Things I can controlThings I cannot control
How I prepare and practiceThe final result
What I say and how I listenHow another person reacts
My boundaries and availabilityWhether others approve of them
How I respond to a mistakeThat the past happened
Where I place my attention todayUnexpected delays and disruptions
Things I control vs things I don't FAQs
What are examples of things I can control?
You can usually control your effort, choices, preparation, boundaries, words, habits, attention, and response to a situation. You may also be able to influence some outcomes without being able to guarantee them.
What are examples of things I cannot control?
Other people's opinions and choices, past events, weather, unexpected delays, uncertainty, and final outcomes are generally outside your direct control. You can still care about them while choosing where to spend your effort.
What if something belongs in both lists?
Split it into two statements. For “I want the interview to go well,” the outcome belongs outside your control, while preparing examples, arriving on time, and listening carefully belong inside it.
How do I use this control vs no-control worksheet online?
Add one concern at a time and choose a starting list. Drag cards between the lists as your thinking becomes clearer. You can also use the move button on each card or the keyboard arrow keys.
Does this tool save or share my list?
Your list is saved in local storage in this browser so it can be here when you return. The tool does not upload or sync your entries. Clearing browser data may remove them.
Keep your focus close
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