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when you google 'controllables', you can find some examples which use it as 'things can be controlled.'

And I feel comfortable with it.

So, does this phrase make sense? : 'Distinguish controllables from uncontrollables.'

What I want to convey is : 'Distinguish things controllable from things uncontrollable'

Thanks!

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  • I think we could do with some more context. To what types of "things" are you referring, specifically? And what type of writing is this? Informal, technical, or something else? For example, if I were writing about programming, I might say, "You need to distinguish between variables you can control and those you can't."
    – RobJarvis
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 19:28
  • @RobJarvis It's about 'how to control yourself through out the whole day'. I'm trying to say that if you want to control yourself, you need to know which you can control and which you cannot control.
    – Jason Kim
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 22:54
  • @JasonKim, why don't you just say 'if you want to control yourself, you need to know which you can control and which you cannot control'? The word controllables sounds as a part of some jargon, and is likely to be distracting to one's audience if used in a field in which it is not already established as a part of the jargon.
    – jsw29
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 23:29
  • @jsw29 thank you for your advice. Actually It's my personal document about controlling myself. I'm making some rules like, 'Rule #1: Focus on, and Never give up.' And the phrase I asked is Rule #5. I feel it's verbose if the rule is like, 'You need to know which you can control and which you cannot control'
    – Jason Kim
    Commented Jun 4, 2020 at 7:20

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Yes, the following phrase of yours makes perfect sense:

'Distinguish controllables from uncontrollables.'

Here's an example I've encountered in the area of budgeting/budget management:

Controllable: the amount of money an organization spends on salaries or official travel in a given period of time -- these are amounts an organization can control

Uncontrollable: the amount of money an organization spends on utilities or snow plowing in a given period of time -- these are amounts that depend on the weather, which an organization cannot control

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