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<blockquote><div class="quotetitle">Quote from <a class="profile-link highlight-default" href="https://stoicplanet.com/user/4">Senator</a> on February 5, 2025, 2:39 pm</div><blockquote>
<div class="quotetitle">Quote from <a class="profile-link highlight-default" href="https://stoicplanet.com/user/10">Ocean</a> on February 5, 2025, 1:34 pm</div>
<p>Hey everyone, I’m also new to Stoicism, so forgive me if I misunderstand something! I’ve been thinking about the trichotomy of control, and to me, it seems like a helpful way to break things down. I get that classical Stoicism focuses on a strict dichotomy—things we can and can’t control—but isn’t it useful to recognize that some things are partially within our control?</p>
<p>For example, I can’t fully control whether I get a job after an interview, but I can prepare well and make a good impression. That’s where I thought the ‘influence’ category made sense. Wouldn’t acknowledging this middle ground help us focus on doing our best without stressing about the outcome</p>
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<p>In my opinion, there is no real middle ground when it comes to control—only a misunderstanding of how we analyze a situation. The trichotomy of control creates an unnecessary ‘gray zone’ that isn’t actually there.</p>
<p>Take your job interview example: You don’t <em>partially</em> control the outcome—you simply don’t control it at all. The decision is entirely up to the employer. What you <em>do</em> control is your preparation, your effort, and how you present yourself. That’s it.</p>
<p>The key Stoic lesson is to focus only on what is truly yours—your thoughts, actions, and judgments. <strong>Whether you get the job or not is irrelevant from a Stoic perspective because a job and an income are ‘indifferents’—neither good nor bad in themselves. What matters is how you handle the process. If you prepare well and act virtuously, then you’ve already succeeded, regardless of the outcome.</strong></p></blockquote><br>

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