It is evident that that the more we focus on what we can control, the more we will move forward. However, there will always be a few who get stuck in the circle of concern: only concerned about what others are not doing and how terrible everyone else is.

By Emile Fakhoury
Progress happens when one expands the circle of influence and start acting with proactive focus. I will elaborate on my top 5 tips to enlarge your circle of influence:

Be Proactive: start working toward things instead of waiting for them to happen. This is what we call 'being proactive' and comes with taking responsibility and ownership.

Be positive: create a positive atmosphere and combine the strengths of all involved to achieve a goal that none of you could achieve alone.

Shift your mindset: you should also make the shift from the “to have” mindset to the “to do” mindset. See it as an opportunity instead of an obligation.

Listen and Understand: try to really understand and actively listen to what others have to say. This will help you establish a deeper connection and expand your circle of influence.

Sustain: create a positive lifestyle that will allow you to replenish your energy. Wake up early, build healthy habits in your diet, create a plan of daily activities, and think positively. These efforts have the potential to make a positive impact on future events.

Your circle of influence will grow because other people will notice that your efforts have a positive impact.

Your circle of influence is within your circle of concern, so the larger your circle of influence, the more successful you will be in your life and career.

I personally experienced that if we spend our energy focusing on things in our circle of concern that are outside of our circle of influence, we will be wasting efforts and energy reacting to issues that already exist and cannot be changed.

In addition, it is important that you make sure that your communication, and behaviors are aligned.  Others allow themselves to be influenced by those whom they respect and trust, so the more sincere you can be, the more your circle will grow.

Your circle of influence and circle of concern are dynamic, and they expand or shrink continuously. You can enlarge your circle of influence by following these tips and by being proactive in the areas that matter to you most.

Emile Fakhoury is a Business Professional working in the water and energy sector. He publishes regularly on corporate matters at The Levant news.