I wish that positive psychologist Shawn Achor had shared some of his extensive research in his recent piece “Why You Shouldn’t Worry About the Things You Can’t Control.” If you haven’t read his books or listened to his TED Talk, the article might read more like an anecdote than a scientifically proven way to lower stress and increase both happiness and success.

Still, the article is worth a read. I’ve written frequently that the students and parents who enjoy and emerge successfully from the college application process focus on the parts that they can control, and as much as possible, let everything else go. If you’re new to the blog and haven’t seen those posts, you can find them here:  “You can only control your effort” and “The right kind of control freak.”