As you navigate through life, your locus of control plays a significant role in how you perceive and react to events and circumstances. Your locus of control refers to the degree to which you believe you have control over the outcomes in your life. If you have an internal locus of control, you believe that you are in control of your own destiny. An external locus of control means you believe that external forces, like luck or fate, primarily determine what happens to you. Knowing where you fall on this spectrum and understanding the different types of locus of control—internal, external, and chance—can provide insight into your behavior and motivation.
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Defining the Two Different Types of Locus of Control
Locus of control refers to the degree to which people believe they have control over the events that influence their lives. People with an internal locus of control believe that their own actions and behaviors determine the outcomes of their lives. Those with an external locus of control believe that external factors outside of their control, such as luck or fate, primarily determine life events.
Internal Locus of Control
Individuals with an internal locus of control feel that they are in control of their fate and that their outcomes are the direct result of their own efforts and actions. They believe that hard work and perseverance will pay off. People with an internal locus of control:
- Take responsibility for their actions and outcomes.
- Are more likely to take initiative and work to solve their own problems.
- Tend to be more motivated and handle stress better.
- Often achieve more and experience greater life satisfaction and well-being.
External Locus of Control
Those with an external locus of control believe that life events are outside of their control and determined more by luck, chance, or fate. They feel that their own efforts and actions have little influence over outcomes and events. People with an external locus of control:
- Are more prone to experiencing feelings of helplessness and giving up easily in the face of challenges or setbacks.
- Tend to be less satisfied with their jobs and relationships.
- May struggle with motivation and taking action to improve their lives.
- Are more likely to become depressed or anxious.
A person’s locus of control orientation develops early in life and is influenced by factors such as upbringing, life experiences, culture, and the environment. While people tend to lean more towards one orientation or the other, locus of control exists on a continuum, and orientations can shift based on circumstances and life events. Understanding your own locus of control and how it impacts your behavior and choices can help increase your well-being and success in life.
Internal Locus of Control: Taking Personal Responsibility
People with an internal locus of control believe that the outcomes of events in their lives are primarily the result of their own actions and decisions. They feel personally responsible for both the good and bad in their lives. Those with a strong internal locus of control:
- Take responsibility for their actions and decisions. They acknowledge their role and their impact on what happens to them.
- Believe they have influence and control over events. They think they can influence outcomes and results through their behavior, skills, and effort.
- See failures and setbacks as learning opportunities. They view them as something within their control to improve on and learn from next time.
- Take action to solve problems. They don’t feel hopelessly at the mercy of outside forces and take steps to directly address issues or challenges.
- Constantly work to develop their knowledge and skills. They believe the more they learn and the more competent they become, the more influence they will have.
- Tend to be problem-focused and solution-oriented. Rather than blame external factors, they look for ways they can resolve situations themselves.
- Exhibit an optimistic view of their ability to influence life events. They believe in their own ability to succeed and affect outcomes through determination and perseverance.
Overall, people with an internal locus of control feel empowered in life because they believe they have the power to influence what happens to them. They see themselves as active participants rather than passive bystanders. By accepting responsibility for their situation, they’re able to take constructive action to improve their lives in a positive direction.
Signs You Have an Internal Locus of Control
If you have an internal locus of control, you believe that you are in control of your own life and that your own actions and decisions shape your destiny. Some signs that you may have an internal locus of control include:
You take responsibility for your actions.
When things go wrong, you don’t blame outside forces. You accept that your own choices and behaviors impacted the outcome. You work to improve yourself rather than complaining about external factors outside of your influence.
You believe in the power of hard work and perseverance.
You know that dedication and effort can help you achieve your goals and shape your life. You don’t expect things to just fall into your lap. You look for ways to actively work toward the outcomes you want rather than waiting for luck or fate.
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You see failures and mistakes as learning opportunities.
When you experience a setback, you view it as a chance to grow rather than as evidence that you have no control. You look for the lessons you can take from the experience to improve next time. You believe you can influence your future outcomes through the actions you choose to take.
You have an optimistic outlook.
Because you believe in your own ability to shape your life, you tend to be hopeful about your future prospects. You look for ways to make the most of your situation rather than feeling helpless. Your positive mindset helps motivate you to take action and work toward better outcomes.
You value self-improvement and personal growth.
You seek to expand your knowledge and skills through learning and experience. You read books on personal development, take online courses, and look for ways to step outside your comfort zone. You believe that by bettering yourself, you open up more opportunities to influence your life for the better.
In summary, an internal locus of control is associated with a growth mindset, optimism, resilience, and motivation. By cultivating these qualities in yourself, you can strengthen your internal locus of control and sense of agency over your own life.
How to Develop a More Internal Locus
To develop a stronger internal locus of control, consider the following steps:
Acknowledge the areas you can influence.
An internal locus of control comes from recognizing the spheres of influence in your own life. Make a list of the areas where you do have power over outcomes, however small. This could include your work responsibilities, relationships, health habits, or hobbies. Focusing on the controllable aspects of your situation will make you feel more empowered and less subject to external forces outside your control.
Set small, achievable goals.
Don’t feel overwhelmed by major life goals that seem out of reach. Set minor milestones and targets that you can actively work toward each day. Achieving these small wins will boost your confidence in your own abilities and reaffirm your role as an active participant in your destiny. Start with the basic habits and routines that you want to build, then progress to larger goals over time as your internal locus strengthens.
Take action and problem-solve obstacles.
Having an internal locus of control means not just recognizing where you have power but actually exerting your influence. Take steps each day to progress in the areas you want to improve. Don’t make excuses or blame outside factors when challenges arise. Look for solutions and alternative strategies to overcome obstacles. The more you act as an agent of change in your life, the more natural it will feel. Your motivation and self-efficacy will increase with each barrier you push past.
Accept responsibility for your choices.
Your choices and behaviors are the foundation of your locus of control. Accept responsibility for the decisions you make each day, both good and bad. Don’t attribute poor choices to external pressures or blame. Understanding that you are in control of your actions will give you a heightened sense of personal responsibility for your destiny. Make choices that align with your priorities and values.
With conscious effort and practice, you can strengthen your internal locus of control. Believe in your ability to influence outcomes, set achievable goals, take action, and own your choices. You have more power over your situation than any outside force. Your destiny is within your control.
External Locus of Control: Blaming Outside Forces
Those with an external locus of control believe that outside forces beyond their control primarily determine life events. They feel that their own actions and behaviors have little influence over outcomes. This can lead to feelings of helplessness and a lack of motivation or initiative.
Blaming outside forces
When something goes wrong in life, those with an external locus of control are quick to blame external factors like luck, chance, fate, or the influence of powerful others. They don’t believe that their own efforts or choices had much impact on the outcome. This pattern of blaming outside forces for failures and setbacks can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe that you have no control over or influence over events, you won’t take action to change them.
Life is seen as something that just happens to them, rather than something they can actively shape or direct through their choices and behaviors. This can foster a passive approach to life where you feel unable to improve your situation or circumstance. You become simply reactive instead of proactive. This is a key difference between those with an internal versus external locus of control.
Those with an external locus of control may feel that powerful others like parents, teachers, bosses, or government leaders are in control of their lives and responsible for their fate or destiny. They see themselves as relatively powerless in the face of these outside forces manipulating or directing their lives. This can breed feelings of resentment, anxiety, and distrust in authority figures or society in general.
In summary, an external locus of control is characterized by the belief that outside forces beyond one’s influence or control determine life events and outcomes. This leads to a tendency to blame external factors for failures while feeling relatively powerless to change one’s situation or circumstance through one’s own efforts or choices. Overcoming an external locus of control involves recognizing how your own actions can influence outcomes and shape your destiny. You have more control than you realize.
Signs You Have an External Locus of Control
If you have an external locus of control, you believe that outside forces primarily determine what happens in your life. You think events are outside of your control and that your own actions have little effect on outcomes. People with an external locus of control often feel hopeless or powerless in the face of difficult life events. Some common signs of an external locus of control include the following:
- Feeling like life “happens to you” rather than feeling in control of your destiny. You believe luck, chance, or fate primarily determine what happens.
- Blaming outside circumstances for setbacks or failures rather than yourself. For example, blame the economy, your boss, or a lack of opportunity rather than your own actions or inactions.
- having the belief that no amount of effort or skill on your part can change your situation. You feel hopeless and unable to improve your circumstances through your own actions.
- Feeling like other powerful people or institutions are in control of what happens in your life. You don’t believe you have much personal influence over outcomes.
- Struggling with motivation and persistence. If you believe your efforts won’t make a difference, you’re less likely to put in sustained effort to achieve goals or overcome obstacles.
- Having low self-esteem. You doubt your own ability to competently manage your life and influence outcomes. External locus of control is linked to higher levels of anxiety, stress, and depression.
- Being overly dependent on the approval of others. You rely heavily on what others think of you to determine your own self-worth. You have difficulty believing in yourself.
If these signs resonate with you, the good news is that you can develop an internal locus of control with conscious effort and practice. Focus on the areas of your life where you do have influence, set small goals, and recognize your wins to build self-efficacy and motivation. Over time, you can strengthen your belief in your own ability to shape your destiny.
When external focus of control can be useful
When an external locus of control is dominant in someone, they believe that events in their life are primarily determined by external factors outside of their influence or control. This can be useful in some situations.
- Accepting What Cannot Be Changed: Some circumstances in life are truly outside of our control, such as natural disasters, accidents, uncontrollable health issues, economic recessions, etc. Having an external locus of control in these situations can help reduce feelings of guilt or self-blame for events that couldn’t have been prevented or changed. People with an external locus of control may find it easier to accept the unpredictability of life.
- Reduced Anxiety: Believing that external forces primarily determine life events can help decrease anxiety and worry. If you think outcomes are largely outside of your control, you may feel less pressure to try to control situations or blame yourself when things go wrong. This can lead to lower stress and anxiety levels overall. However, an external locus of control becomes problematic when it leads to a sense of powerlessness over events and circumstances that are within our influence. Someone with a predominantly external locus of control may feel they have little agency or ability to improve their situation through their own efforts and actions. This can foster feelings of helplessness and passivity.
The ideal is to develop a balanced locus of control that recognizes both internal and external influences on our lives. We must accept what we cannot change but also believe in our ability to influence and shape our circumstances through the choices we make. Someone with a balanced locus of control will feel empowered to take action on things within their control but also make peace with accepting what they cannot change. Developing this balanced perspective leads to the healthiest psychological outlook.
In summary, while an external locus of control has some benefits in specific situations, an overly external locus of control can be problematic if it extends to areas of life that are within our ability to influence and control. The healthiest approach is to work on cultivating a balanced locus of control.
Tips for Dealing With External Locus of Control
If you have an external locus of control, you believe that life events are outside of your control and determined by luck, chance, or fate. As someone with an external locus of control, here are some tips to help you deal with situations in a more productive manner:
- Do some self-reflection. Spend time thinking about the areas of your life you feel you have little control over. Then, look for ways you can influence outcomes, even if in small ways. For example, if you feel your work assignments are out of your control, talk to your manager about taking on more responsibility or ask if you can provide input on future projects.
- Focus on the things you can control. Rather than wasting energy on things out of your control, direct your efforts toward aspects you can influence. If stuck in traffic, shift your mind to something you can control, like planning your evening or listening to an audiobook. This can help reduce feelings of frustration and anxiety over a lack of control.
- Develop an internal locus of control. Work to change beliefs that outcomes in life are determined entirely by outside forces. Look for opportunities to make your own choices and influence situations. Start with small acts of personal responsibility and build from there. The more control you exert, the more you will believe in your own ability to shape outcomes.
- Find ways to influence situations. Do not remain passive in the face of events that are important to you. Take action by voicing your opinions, offering to help solve problems, and suggesting alternative solutions. Make requests rather than silently accepting what you are given. The more you practice asserting control, the more natural it will feel.
- Stay positive and proactive. Having an external locus of control can lead to feelings of pessimism, helplessness, and reactivity. Combat this by maintaining an optimistic outlook, taking initiative, and planning ahead. Do not wait for things to happen to you. Make them happen through conscious choice and action.
With conscious effort, you can adopt strategies and ways of thinking that will help shift your locus of control and allow you to feel more in control of your own destiny. But change will not happen overnight. Be patient and consistent, and you will get better at mastering your external locus of control.
The Difference Between Internal and External Locus of Control
The locus of control refers to the degree to which people believe they have control over events in their lives. There are two types: the internal locus of control and the external locus of control.
Internal Locus of Control
People with an internal locus of control believe that the outcomes in their lives are the result of their own actions and decisions. They feel that they have influence over events and their own destiny. Those with an internal locus of control:
- Take responsibility for their actions and outcomes.
- Believe that hard work and perseverance will lead to success.
- Seek opportunities to shape events and exert control.
- Tend to be more proactive in problem solving.
External Locus of Control
Conversely, those with an external locus of control believe that outside forces beyond their control determine events and outcomes in their lives. They feel that they have little influence over destiny and see themselves as victims of circumstances. People with an external locus of control:
- Blame outside factors like luck, chance, or the actions of others for outcomes. Feel that they have little control or influence over events.
- Tend to be more passive or reactive in the face of problems or obstacles.
- May feel hopeless or powerless in difficult situations.
A person’s locus of control develops throughout childhood based on their experiences, learning, and environment. It can also be shaped and modified to some degree over one’s lifetime. In general, an internal locus of control is linked to higher achievement, better psychological well-being, and greater success. Developing an internal locus of control is a key part of building self-confidence, motivation, and resilience.
Understanding your own locus of control and how it influences your thoughts and behaviors is an important first step to gaining more control and direction over your life. Recognizing tendencies towards an external locus of control can help you make the shift to a more internal orientation through conscious effort and practice.
The Pros and Cons of Both Types
The type of locus of control a person has can significantly impact their behavior and motivation. There are two main types: the internal locus of control and the external locus of control.
Internal Locus of Control
Those with an internal locus of control believe that the outcomes in their lives are the direct result of their own actions and efforts.
- Pros: Tend to be more motivated and take more initiative. Believe they have influence over events and outcomes.
- Cons: They can blame themselves for failures and feel like they have more control over situations than they actually do.
External Locus of Control
Those with an external locus of control believe that outside forces beyond their control primarily determine the events and outcomes in their lives.
- Pros: They don’t feel as much pressure to control situations and are less likely to blame themselves for failures or setbacks.
- Cons: They tend to feel less empowered and have little ability to influence outcomes. Can lead to decreased motivation and passivity.
A person can have an internal locus of control in some areas of their life and an external one in other areas. The locus of control exists on a continuum, so some people may fall somewhere in the middle. Your locus of control can also change over time based on life experiences and events.
While an internal locus of control is often viewed as more desirable, both types have their pros and cons. The healthiest approach is to find the right balance between believing in your own abilities and influence while also recognizing the role of outside factors. Your locus of control shapes your motivation, expectations, relationships, and resilience. Understanding how it impacts you can help you better manage your behavior and reactions.
Locus of Control and Relationships
When it comes to relationships, the type of locus of control you have can significantly impact how you think, feel, and behave toward your partner.
Internal locus of control
If you have an internal locus of control, you believe that you are in control of the events in your life. In relationships, this means:
- You take responsibility for the good and bad things that happen.
- You don’t blame your partner for problems, and you work to actively solve issues together.
- You feel empowered to improve relationship satisfaction, and you don’t wait for your partner to change things for you.
People with an internal locus of control tend to have healthier relationships as they take an active role in building intimacy and managing conflict in a constructive way.
External locus of control
Those with an external locus of control believe that outside factors determine what happens in their lives. In relationships, this can lead to:
- Blaming your partner for relationship problems instead of working together on solutions.
- Feeling like a victim of circumstance and that you have no control or influence over relationship dynamics.
- Difficulty compromising as you see your partner as responsible for your happiness or unhappiness.
People with an external locus of control may struggle in relationships as they fail to take personal responsibility, which often leads to resentment, conflict, and dissatisfaction for both partners.
The good news is that you can work to cultivate an internal locus of control. Some strategies include reflecting on how your choices impact your relationship, openly communicating with your partner, setting small goals and celebrating wins together, and compromising when disagreements arise. Developing these relationship skills can help shift your mindset to a more empowered internal locus of control.
How to Identify Your Locus of Control
To determine your own locus of control, it’s helpful to understand the characteristics of the different types. Take an honest look at your attitudes and behaviors to identify which locus of control you tend to operate from.
1. Internal locus of control:
You believe that you are in control of your own life and that your own actions determine your outcomes. You take responsibility for your own successes and failures. Those with an internal locus of control:
- Are self-motivated and hardworking.
- View problems as challenges they can influence.
- Tend to be achievement-oriented.
- Take initiative and work to actively solve issues.
2. External locus of control:
You believe that outside forces beyond your control determine what happens in your life. You attribute outcomes to luck, chance, fate, or powerful others. Those with an external locus of control:
- Feel they have little power over events in their lives.
- Blame outside factors for their failures or lack of progress.
- Are more prone to anxiety, stress, and depression.
- Tend to feel hopeless or apathetic in the face of problems.
3. Chance locus of control:
You believe that life’s outcomes are the result of unpredictable chance forces. There is little you can do to influence events. Those with a chance of locus control:
- Feel that randomness and unpredictability rule their lives.
- There is little point in planning or hard work since chance determines outcomes.
- They tend to drift through life and let things happen to them.
By examining how you think and respond in various situations, you can gain insight into your dominant locus of control. Don’t be surprised if you exhibit a mix of types or if your locus of control varies in different domains of your life. With awareness and conscious effort, it is possible to develop a more balanced and productive locus of control.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, understanding the different types of locus of control is important in developing a deeper understanding of oneself and others. By recognizing whether one has an internal or external locus of control, individuals can better understand their behaviors and reactions to situations. It is also important to note that one’s locus of control can change over time and can be influenced by various factors. Ultimately, developing a healthy balance between internal and external loci of control can lead to a more positive and empowered mindset.
References.
- Locus of Control From: Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2018
- Chance locus of control predicts moral disengagement,, which decreases well-being (Qingke Guo , Yakang Guo , Xiuqing Qiao , Jie Leng , Yiqing Lv).
- Locus of Control: Are You in Charge of Your Destiny? By the Mind Tools Content Team
- Responsible for actions or blame outside forces by Gregg Smith
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