Hi, today I would like to share about the interesting topic, namely "Human limitations on space are beyond human control", the main reason why I choose that topic because many people try to control beyond their space control, This actually drains human energy if we continue to force our own limits to execute a decision where it is beyond control, In psychology and philosophy (particularly Stoicism, which interests you), an understanding of the limits of human control is the foundation of inner peace and effective action. This view is often referred to as the Dichotomy of Control.
Psychologically, understanding these limits does not mean adopting a passive attitude or giving up, but rather about allocating cognitive and emotional energy appropriately to avoid mental exhaustion (burnout).
1. The Limits of Control (Circle of Influence)
In practical terms, human control is divided into two main areas:
The Area Within Control (Internal):
Mental Processes: Your thoughts, judgements, and perceptions of an event.
Will: The decisions you make to act or refrain from acting.
Values: The life principles, character, and personal integrity you uphold.
Emotional Response: How you process your emotions after an event occurs.
Areas Beyond Control (External):
Outcomes: Project success, others’ appreciation, or financial gain.
Others’ Actions: People’s opinions, a partner’s behaviour, or company policies.
The Past and the Future: Events that have already happened or the uncertainty of tomorrow.
Environmental Conditions: Weather, traffic congestion, or unforeseen disasters.
2. Psychological Perspectives on the Limits of Control
Modern psychology, particularly within the fields of Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), views issues of control through several lenses:
A. Locus of Control (Locus of Control)
Julian Rotter developed the Locus of Control theory to explain how people perceive the source of control in their lives:
Internal Locus of Control: A person believes that success or failure is the result of their own actions. This correlates with higher motivation, but if taken to extremes, it can lead to unnecessary guilt when events occur beyond one’s control.
External Locus of Control: A person feels their life is controlled by fate, luck, or others. This often triggers a sense of helplessness (learned helplessness).
Ideal perspective: Healthy psychology encourages a moderate Internal Locus of Control, where individuals are aware of their responsibilities yet accept the limitations of external reality.
B. Learned Helplessness (Learned Helplessness)
When someone continually tries to control things beyond their control (such as changing another person’s character or forcing a successful outcome), they experience learned helplessness. A person stops trying because they feel their efforts yield no results. Understanding the limits of control is the primary way to break this cycle.
C. Cognitive Reframing (Reframing)
In psychotherapy, this technique is used to shift the patient’s focus. For example, rather than trying to control whether someone likes us (external), we shift the focus to how we act with courtesy and integrity (internal). Control shifts from the goal to the process.
3. Integration into Your Professional Life
As a psychotherapist with an engineering background and an interest in Stoicism, you may find that this concept resembles control systems in engineering:
In engineering, you manage inputs to produce outputs. However, in human psychology, outputs (behaviour or outcomes) are always influenced by unpredictable variables (‘noise’ or ‘interference’).
If you force an unstable system (by attempting to exert full control over external factors), your psychological system will crash or overheat.
Conclusion:
A loss of self-identity often stems from a strenuous effort to control external factors (material possessions, status, recognition) that are actually beyond our control. When those external factors are lost, we feel shattered because our ‘sphere of control’ has become fused with them.
By reclaiming your control space through your core values and the processes you undertake, you build a stronger psychological defence against the turbulence of the outside world.
As you embark on your new career as a coordinator in the industrial sector, where you will interact more frequently with complex external variables