The
term ‘locus of control’ refers to whether you feel your life is controlled by
you or by forces outside yourself.
People
who believe that what happens to them is a result of chance or environmental
factors and is unrelated to their behavior have an external locus of control.
If you have an external locus of control, you believe your destiny is
mostly controlled by external forces such as luck, God, the gods, or fate.
Whether you lose the weight or make an investment depends on practically
everything under the sun – except you. Victime stance isn't a good strategy for
success.
People
who believe that they have control over events in their lives are said to have
an internal locus of control. If you have an internal locus of control,
you believe your actions, thoughts, behavior, and attitude generally controls
your destiny.
Those
with an internal locus of control are apt to be healthier, less stressed and
living more balanced lives.
There
are several studies that link stress and locus of control.
Most
stress in your life comes from your perception of not being in control of a
situation. When you perceive that you are in control of a situation the
probability is that you will be less likely to perceive the situation as
threatening or stress inducing.
People
with a more internal locus of control tend to feel happier, freer, and less
stressed. They experience less of the damaging chronic stress that can come
from feeling powerless, consequently they also enjoy better health and are more
satisfied with life in general.
With
an internal locus of control, you open yourself up to a world of possibilities.
Take Action To Develop An Internal Locus of Control
1. Recognize
that you always have choice to change your circumstances. Even if the
only change you can make is in your attitude, it’s still a choice.
2. When you
feel stuck, create a list of all possible actions. Don’t evaluate, just
brainstorm and write things down.
3. Ask
friend to brainstorm with you in order to get more ideas that you may
not have initially considered. Don’t discharge these ideas right away, just
write them down.
4. Evaluate
the list, estimate each one opportunity and decide the best action for
you. Leave others as alternative options. You could be surprised about the
amount of choices you have in a given situation.
TIP:
Create
a habit to seeing new possibilities in each situation not only when you feel
stuck and frustrated.
Realizing
and acknowledging that you always have choice (even if the choices
aren’t ideal) can help you to change your situation, or accept it more easily
and consequently perceive the situation as challenging and stressful.
