#48. Atharv’s Chronicle : 24-04-2026 Circle of Influence V/S Circle of Concern

Welcome to this edition of my newsletter!

Recently, I came across a simple idea through my mentor, Mahatria Ra.

It wasn’t something new. But it hit me differently this time.

Since then, I’ve noticed a shift in the way I think, act, and process things.

I’ve slowly stopped spending energy on things where my actions make no real difference.

And instead, I’ve started putting extra effort into areas where I can actually create impact.

Simple shift – But it’s quietly changing how I live.

The Idea Is Simple

There are two circles in our life.

Circle of Influence – things we can actually control.

Circle of Concern – things we care about, but can’t do much about.

Most of us know this concept at a surface level.

But here’s what we don’t admit – we spend the majority of our time and energy in the wrong circle.

Let Me Give You Real Examples

You’re sitting at dinner with your family.

Your dad is going on about how petrol prices have gone up again, how the government is useless, how things were better before.

Your cousin is ranting about how Bangalore traffic is getting worse every year.

Your uncle adds that the economy is going downhill.

One hour passes. Everyone nods. Everyone agrees.

And then? Nothing changes. Nothing ever does.

Because none of that – the petrol prices, the government, the traffic – is inside anyone’s Circle of Influence at that table.

But here’s where it gets uncomfortable.

That same person who spent an hour complaining about petrol prices?

He hasn’t started his SIP yet.

He skips the gym three days a week.

He keeps saying he’ll have a serious conversation with his son about career goals – but it’s been six months.

These are all inside his Circle of Influence.

And they’re just sitting there. Untouched.

I Was That Person Too

I used to feel like I was engaged with the world because I read the news, followed current events, had strong opinions.

Climate change. Wars. Inflation. Poverty. Social inequality.

I cared. Genuinely.

But caring from a distance, without action, doesn’t move anything.

It just keeps your mind busy – and tired.

And then I’d wonder why I felt stuck, distracted, mentally drained by the end of the day.

The energy was going out. But nothing was coming back.

Because I was pouring into a circle that doesn’t give returns.

The Honest Part

Here’s what I also noticed about myself.

I would occasionally donate to some random charitable trust online.

It would give me a good feeling for a day or two.

“I did something meaningful.”

But had I actually taken responsibility for even one person close to me?

Had I sat down with a junior colleague who was struggling?

Had I consistently helped one kid in my building with their studies?

Had I shown up fully for someone whose life I could actually impact?

Probably Yes, Probably Not.

Because distant, occasional generosity is easy.

It doesn’t require showing up every day.

Real impact – close, consistent, personal – is harder. But it’s also more real.

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What Your Circle of Influence Actually Looks Like

• The 6 AM alarm you keep snoozing
• The gym membership you’re paying for but not using
• The difficult conversation you’ve been avoiding with someone at work
• The savings habit you’ve been “planning to start”
• The time you spend scrolling vs. reading
• The way you speak to people at home after a bad day at work

You already know this list.

You don’t need a new framework to identify it.

You just need to be honest about it.

The Shift I’m Trying To Make

Before I react to something now, I ask one question.

“Is this under my control?”

If yes → I act.

If no → I let it go and move on.

Sounds basic. But actually living it is a practice.

Because the Circle of Concern is loud. It’s designed to pull your attention – news, notifications, opinions, debates.

The Circle of Influence is quiet. It just waits for you to show up.

What Actually Grows Your Influence

Here’s what I’m realising slowly.

The more consistently I act inside my Circle of Influence – my health, my habits, my relationships, my work – the bigger that circle grows.

Not dramatically. Not overnight.

But the person who fixes their sleep schedule starts making better decisions.

The person who starts having honest conversations earns more trust.

The person who helps one person consistently creates more real impact than the one who worries about everyone from a distance.

The influence expands – not because you worried about it, but because you acted upon it.

A Reminder Worth Keeping

The world doesn’t change because you care about everything.

It changes when you act on what you actually can.

So for now – Start small. Start close. Start with what’s already in your hands.

That’s where your real power is.

Hope it was relatable

See you in the next one. ✨

– Atharv Prasanna