The Elevator Button

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A few months ago, I visited my brother. 

We stepped into the elevator of his apartment building and pressed for the 26th floor.

Just before the door closed, a young man entered. 

Breathless, he pressed the 20th-floor button. 

The door shut.  

He pressed the button again 

And again 

And again!!! 

When more people got in from other floors, he became more impatient 

He pressed the elevator button again!! 

I am sure deep down he knows the mechanism of the elevator function. His act will not help him reach the 20th floor faster. Ultimately, he reached the 20th floor, and we reached the 26th floor. None of his actions altered the outcome. 

Then why? 

Because pressing the button gives him a sense of control that he is doing something to change the outcome!! 

The Illusion of Control 

We all do this in everyday practice. 

We keep refreshing the WhatsApp chat, waiting for an important message 
We keep checking the mail for an important update 
We keep checking the weather forecast before an outdoor event. 

The illusion of control is the tendency to overestimate one’s ability to control things that are beyond our control. Yet these actions tend to give us the comforting illusion that we are in control. 

The illusion of control makes us believe actions can control outcomes. But in the real world, what we have control over is very small but far more meaningful. 


We have control over our choices, our decisions, our integrity, our kindness, our empathy, and our response to life’s challenges. 

We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we have the power to choose how we respond. 

That power of control is far stronger than the illusion of control. 

The elevator reaches our floor whether we press the button once or 26 times. 

Life often works the same way!!

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