Framework
Spheres
You can't control everything. But you can control where you spend your energy. The Spheres framework organizes life into five concentric circles — from the domain where you have the most control (yourself) to where you have the least (the world). It's a lens for asking: Am I focusing where I actually have leverage?
The Stoic Insight
There's an ancient idea that keeps showing up in philosophy: the distinction between what you can control and what you can't. The Stoics built an entire life philosophy around it. So did the Serenity Prayer. So does every effective leader I've ever met.
The insight isn't that some things are controllable and others aren't. That's obvious. The insight is that most people spend enormous energy on things they can't control while neglecting the things they can.
Stressed about politics but haven't exercised in months. Anxious about the economy but haven't had a real conversation with their partner in weeks. Worried about industry trends but haven't done the deep work their role requires.
The Spheres framework makes this visible. It gives you a map for where energy can actually make a difference — and permission to stop pouring energy into places where it can't.
The Five Spheres
Life organized in concentric circles, from innermost (most control) to outermost (least control).
Me
Highest Control
Personal growth, habits, health, hobbies, inner life. This is entirely your domain. Where you have the most leverage and where neglect costs the most.
Family & Friends
High Control
Close relationships. The people who matter most. You can't control them, but you can show up, invest, and nurture these bonds.
Business
Medium Control
Work, career, professional life. Meaningful control but also external constraints — employers, markets, colleagues, customers.
Community
Lower Control
Local involvement, acquaintances, neighborhood, professional networks. Your individual impact is real but limited.
World
Lowest Control
Global affairs, politics, news, society at large. You have opinions and maybe small actions, but very limited control over outcomes.
The Common Pattern
Here's what I notice in myself and in the leaders I work with: the outer spheres are seductive. They feel urgent. They're full of drama and stakes. The news cycle demands attention. Industry disruption feels existential. Global events feel like they require response.
Meanwhile, the inner spheres are quiet. They don't demand anything. They just slowly degrade when ignored.
Outer Spheres
- Feel urgent and important
- Demand attention loudly
- Give the illusion of engagement
- Rarely respond to your effort
Inner Spheres
- Feel optional and patient
- Rarely demand attention
- Degrade silently when ignored
- Respond directly to your effort
This isn't about ignoring the outer spheres. It's about not letting them consume the energy you need for the inner ones. You can follow the news without being consumed by it. You can care about your industry without letting anxiety about disruption crowd out the actual work.
Using the Framework
As a Diagnostic
When you feel overwhelmed or scattered, map where your energy has been going. Draw the circles. List what's consuming your attention. Often the problem is obvious once visualized: too much energy in the outer spheres, inner ones neglected.
As a Filter
When something demands your attention, ask: which sphere is this? What's my actual leverage here? This doesn't mean ignoring outer sphere issues. It means being honest about what your attention will accomplish.
As a Review Lens
In weekly or monthly reviews, check each sphere. Am I spending time in the right places? Is my attention matching my priorities? Have I neglected any inner sphere while overinvesting in outer ones?
As Permission
The framework gives you permission to release things you can't control. You don't have to solve every problem. You don't have to have an opinion on everything. Acknowledging limited control isn't apathy — it's wisdom.
Questions to Ask
"Which sphere is this actually in?"
Sometimes we treat outer sphere issues like inner sphere problems. We take on responsibility for things we can't control. Naming the sphere clarifies the appropriate response.
"What's my real leverage here?"
Even within a sphere, leverage varies. In business, you might have high leverage over team culture but low leverage over market conditions. Focus on the high-leverage aspects.
"Am I neglecting an inner sphere for an outer one?"
This is the most common pattern. When you feel pulled toward outer sphere concerns, check the inner ones first. Are they actually healthy? Or are you using outer sphere engagement as avoidance?
"What would appropriate engagement look like?"
You don't have to disengage from outer spheres entirely. But appropriate engagement looks different than treating them like inner spheres. You can care about politics without doomscrolling. You can follow industry news without constant anxiety.
What This Isn't
This framework isn't about isolation or apathy. It's not "ignore the world and focus only on yourself." That's a misreading.
Some people are genuinely called to work in the outer spheres. Activists, politicians, journalists, community organizers — their leverage actually is in those domains. For them, outer sphere work is appropriate.
But most of us aren't in those roles. For most of us, outer sphere engagement is more about feeling connected than making an impact. There's nothing wrong with that — but it shouldn't come at the cost of the spheres where we actually have leverage.
The framework asks you to be honest about where your energy can make a difference. Not to withdraw from the world. To engage with it wisely.
How I Use It
I run a portfolio of businesses. I have a family. I have my own growth and health. I care about my local community. I follow global events.
The Spheres framework helps me allocate energy appropriately. A conflict with my co-founder gets full attention — that's high-leverage inner sphere work. A frustrating news cycle gets acknowledged and released. Industry disruption gets strategic thought, not anxiety.
The question isn't "is this important?" It's "do I have leverage here?" Important things happen in all five spheres. But I can only affect change in some of them.
I tag my projects and tasks with spheres. During reviews, I check the balance. Am I neglecting family for business? Am I consuming news when I should be doing deep work? The framework makes these patterns visible.
Sphere Check (Example)
Want to find your focus?
I help leaders get clear on where their energy belongs and build systems to protect it. If you're feeling scattered across too many demands, let's talk about what that could look like for you.