“Control the Controllables” in Baseball and in the Game of Life
In baseball, as in the game of life, there are certain things that fall within your direct sphere of influence (the “controllables”) and certain things that do not. During the fall of my freshman year as a member of the Golden Gopher baseball team, in a series of team meetings led by sports psychotherapist Dr. Rick Aberman, I was introduced to the following phrase: “control the controllables.” The diagram below shows what we (a collective effort of the players, coaches, and support staff) identified as primary focal points (the “controllables”) along with areas that fall outside of the locus of control. In order to maximize the probability of success, it is imperative to focus mental and physical energy on the “controllables,” and to not get sidetracked by the things that you are not able to control.
In baseball, as in the game of life, there are certain things that fall within your direct sphere of influence (the “controllables”) and certain things that do not. During the fall of my freshman year as a member of the Golden Gopher baseball team, in a series of team meetings led by sports psychotherapist Dr. Rick Aberman, I was introduced to the following phrase: “control the controllables.” The diagram below shows what we (a collective effort of the players, coaches, and support staff) identified as primary focal points (the “controllables”) along with areas that fall outside of the locus of control. In order to maximize the probability of success, it is imperative to focus mental and physical energy on the “controllables,” and to not get sidetracked by the things that you are not able to control.
What I did not realize as a freshman at the University of Minnesota is the profound effect that the phrase “control the controllables” would have on my life after baseball. The “controllables” listed below have served as guiding factors for both my personal and professional life. It is empowering to grasp the fact that although I am not in control of what happens to me, I am always in control of how I respond to what happens to me. When adversity strikes, I remind myself to “control the controllables” and it better prepares me to embrace the challenge and persevere.
Luke MacLean
Annandale Middle School and High School Activities Director
Annandale Middle School and High School Activities Director