Mastering What You Control: The Path to Opportunity

"Chase your purpose. Chase your better version of yourself.... the opportunities will chase you." - AJ Brown

(if you know than you know....I am obsessed with both my football team and AJ Brown's transparent nature)

We live in a world obsessed with outcomes. We fixate on promotions, recognition, wealth, and status—all things that ultimately lie beyond our direct control. This obsession often leads to frustration, anxiety, and a sense that we're never quite measuring up.

But what if we've been looking at success all wrong?

AJ Brown's profound quote points us toward a different approach—one that centers on what we can actually control rather than what we hope will happen. When we focus our energy on pursuing purpose and self-improvement, we create a magnetic force that naturally attracts opportunities.

A colorful pathway in a serene garden environment.

The Elements Within Our Control

Effort

The amount of work we put in is entirely our decision. While we can't control whether our efforts will yield the exact results we want, we can choose to show up fully each day. Consistent effort compounds over time, building skills and experiences that distinguish us from those who work sporadically or half-heartedly.

Mindset

Our perspective shapes our reality. We can choose to approach challenges with curiosity rather than fear, to see setbacks as lessons rather than failures. A growth mindset—the belief that we can develop our abilities through dedication and hard work—puts us in a position to learn from every experience.

Goals

While we can't control whether we'll achieve every goal we set, we have complete authority over what we aim for and how we define success for ourselves. Setting meaningful, values-aligned goals ensures that our daily actions lead us in a direction that matters to us.

Focus

In a world designed to distract us, deciding where to direct our attention is a radical act of self-determination. We can choose to immerse ourselves in the present moment and dedicate our mental energy to what truly matters rather than spreading ourselves thin across countless competing priorities.

Boundaries

We get to decide what we will and won't accept in our lives. Setting clear boundaries protects our energy and ensures we're investing in relationships and commitments that support our wellbeing and growth rather than depleting us.

Kindness

How we treat others is entirely within our control. Choosing compassion and generosity not only enriches others' lives but creates connections that sustain us through challenges and multiply our joys.

Self-Control

The ability to regulate our impulses and emotions allows us to respond thoughtfully rather than react automatically. This skill helps us stay aligned with our deeper values even when faced with temptation or provocation.

A serene forest pathway guiding the way through nature.

Letting Go of What You Can't Control

Once we've committed to mastering what's within our control, we must practice the equally important skill of releasing our grip on everything else:

• Other people's opinions and actions

• Market conditions and economic forces

• Competition and comparison

• Timing and luck

• Past mistakes and decisions

• Others' recognition of our worth

• External validation and praise

This isn't about becoming passive or indifferent. Rather, it's about channeling our finite energy toward what actually moves the needle on our growth and purpose.

The Paradox: When You Stop Chasing, Opportunities Find You

There's a beautiful paradox at work in AJ Brown's philosophy. When we become so focused on our own improvement and purpose that we stop obsessing over opportunities, those very opportunities seem to materialize more readily.

This happens for several reasons:

1. You become exceptional at what you do. Mastery attracts attention and creates demand for your skills.

2. You develop authentic confidence. Not the brash kind that comes from external validation, but the quiet certainty born from knowing you've put in the work.

3. You build a reputation for reliability and excellence. People want to work with and support those who consistently deliver their best.

4. You create space for serendipity. When you're not frantically chasing every possible opportunity, you notice the right ones when they appear.

5. You make decisions from abundance rather than scarcity. This allows you to say yes to opportunities that truly align with your purpose and no to those that don't.

Living the Philosophy

This approach to life isn't merely philosophical—it's eminently practical. Here's what it might look like in daily practice:

• Start each morning by setting intentions for what you can control that day

• Regularly reflect on your purpose and how your actions align with it

• Celebrate progress in your personal growth, not just external achievements

• Practice letting go when you catch yourself worrying about outcomes

• Surround yourself with people who value growth and purpose over status

• Create systems that support consistent effort in areas important to you

The journey of mastering what you can control is lifelong. There will be days when external concerns hijack your attention, when outcomes matter more than they should. That's human. The practice is returning, again and again, to what's within your sphere of influence.

As you continue focusing on becoming your better self and pursuing your unique purpose, watch with curiosity as opportunities begin to find their way to you—often better ones than you would have discovered had you been desperately searching for them.

In the end, AJ Brown's quote reminds us of an ancient paradox: sometimes the best way to get what we want is to stop trying so hard to get it, and instead focus on becoming the kind of person who naturally attracts it.