The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey was the first self-help book I ever read. I was in high school, and I remember finding the book at home after school one day. The title was intriguing, and the pages were covered in large font, which I appreciate to this day in a physical book.
The book left a strong impression by introducing me to simple yet powerful ideas I had never consciously considered. One idea that has stuck with me to this day is Covey’s distinction between the Circle of Concern — everything we care about — and the Circle of Influence — the things we can actually affect. That insight — that effective people focus on their Circle of Influence — felt revolutionary to me.
Today, in the era of the 24-hour news cycle and the overwhelming volume of content and information, I find that idea even more important. Almost everyone and everything is vying for my limited attention by proclaiming to be important and urgent. Just because we have access to global news and information, it’s tempting to believe we can influence far-off situations. What’s mind-boggling is how many people believe they can create impact simply by sharing an opinion.
Thanks to the habit of reading the newspaper regularly, I stay well-informed about current events — but I rarely hold strong opinions. Not because I don’t care, but because I haven’t put in the work required to form one.
And honestly, I often choose not to. Covey’s concept of the Circle of Influence reminds me to focus on what I can actually change — and in doing so, I preserve both my energy and my sanity.