The Illusion of Being in Control

Being in control is, for the most part, an illusion. It makes us feel secure since we believe we can predict the outcome. Yesterday, I went to my local supermarket. In South Texas, most local supermarkets are called H E B. It wasn’t a big shopping day but I like to have broccoli with my dinner most days. I picked up broccoli, a medium sized avocado, garlic, and yogurt. When I returned to my car I turned on full self driving. I wanted to see how it would do in a busy parking lot. I let the Tesla be in charge. It easily navigated the row of parked cars, moved away from a shopper with a shopping cart, and stopped at the end of the row turning on a signal to turn left. Off to the left a car stopped to let a passenger off close to the entrance. I was watching the parked car. The Tesla decided the coast was clear and pulled into a lane adjacent to where the car parked to drop off the passenger. The Tesla didn’t anticipate that car to move and cut in front to go into the parking area. I anticipated it and quickly took back control from the Tesla. I wasn’t about to see if it could stop in a close encounter. Here’s where I am going with this story. Even with the great self-driving software, the Tesla couldn’t anticipate what the other car was going to do until the car engaged. That’s a life lesson. We usually can’t anticipate what life is going to toss at us until life tosses it at us. We have little, if any, control. What we can do is to prepare, be alert, and be ready to adapt to changing circumstances.