Radical Acceptance
Control the controllables: focus your time and energy on what you can influence, rather than what you can’t.
If you’ve ever attended one of my courses, talks, or coaching sessions, you’ve probably heard me say this.
While reading Chris Guillebeau’s Time Anxiety recently, I came across a related concept: radical acceptance. It’s the idea that while pain (physical, emotional, or mental) is inevitable, suffering often comes from the energy we spend resisting it.
This can be incredibly difficult in our personal lives, especially when experiencing pain through illness or loss. However, it may be easier to start exploring the concept of radical acceptance at work.
This might mean noticing when we’re pushing against something fixed, such as an unchangeable decision, an immovable deadline, or a process we don’t control, and instead choosing to redirect that energy into something more productive or sustaining.
I’m not suggesting that we stop questioning and pushing back; far from it. Instead, we spend our limited energy on the things we can change and accept the rest.
I'd be interested to know what you think about this idea.
