# data[].attributes.body
Believe outcomes controlled by personal actions

Personally influence events and outcomes

Positive outlook

Blame themselves instead of outside factors for failing

Takes personal accountability

# data[].attributes.body
Believe outcomes controlled not by personal actions

Outcomes are affected because of outside influences

Negative outlook

Blame outside factors instead of themselves for failing

Does not take much personal accountability

# data[].attributes.body
Locus of Control Positive and Negative Outcomes (Video)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Locus of Control  Definition and Examples of Internal and External

# data[].attributes.body
(Article on positive thinking)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When you are dealing with a challenge in your life, do you feel that you have control over the outcome, or do you believe that you are at the mercy of outside forces? Your answer to this question refers to your locus of control.

Our locus of control influences our response to events in our lives and our motivation to take action. If you believe that you hold the keys to your fate, you are more likely to change your situation when needed. Conversely, if you think that the outcome is out of your hands, you may be less likely to work toward change.

What Is Locus of Control?

Locus of control is the extent to which you feel you have control over events that impact your life. Put another way, it is "a belief about whether the outcomes of our actions are contingent on what we do (internal control orientation) or on events outside our personal control (external control orientation)," explains psychologist Philip Zimbardo.

In 1954, psychologist Julian Rotter suggested that our behavior was controlled by rewards and punishments. The consequences of our actions helped determine our beliefs about the likely results of future behaviors.

In 1966, Rotter published a scale designed to measure and assess external and internal locus of control. The scale utilizes a forced choice between two alternatives, requiring respondents to choose just one of two possibilities for each item.

While the scale has been widely used, it has also been the subject of considerable criticism from those who believe that locus of control cannot be fully understood or measured by such a simplistic scale.

Internal vs. External Locus of Control

If you believe that you have control over what happens, you have what psychologists refer to as an internal locus of control. If you believe that you have no control over what happens and that external variables are to blame, you have what is known as an external locus of control.

It is important to note that locus of control is a continuum. No one has a 100% external or internal locus of control. Instead, most people lie somewhere on the continuum between the two extremes.

These are characteristics of people with a dominant internal or external locus of control.

What Role Does Your Locus of Control Play in Your Life?

Internal locus of control is often used synonymously with " self-determination" and "personal agency." Some research suggests that men tend to have a higher internal locus of control than women while others suggest the opposite: that women have greater internal locus of control in comparison. Other research reports a shift towards more internal locus of control as people grow older.

Experts have found that, in general, people with an internal locus of control tend to be better off. However, it is also important to remember that internal locus of control does not always equal "good" and external locus of control does not always equal "bad."

In some contexts, having an external locus of control can be a good thing-particularly when a situation poses a threat to self-esteem or is genuinely outside of a person's control.

For example, a person who loses a sports game may feel depressed or anxious if they have a strong internal locus of control. If this person thinks, "I'm bad at sports and I don't try hard enough," they might allow the loss to affect their self-image and feel stressed in future games.

However, if this person takes an external focus during such situations ("We were unlucky to get matched with such a strong team," or "The sun was in my eyes!"), they will probably feel more relaxed and less stressed.

Do You Have an External or Internal Locus of Control?

Where does your locus of control fall on the continuum? Read through the statements below and select the set that best describes your outlook on life.

I often feel that I have little control over my life and what happens to me.

People rarely get what they deserve.

It isn't worth setting goals or making plans because too many things can happen that are outside of my control.

Life is a game of chance.

Individuals have little influence over the events of the world.

If the statements above best reflect your view on life, then you probably tend to have an external locus of control.

If you work hard and commit yourself to a goal, you can achieve anything.

There is no such thing as fate or destiny.

If you study hard and are well-prepared, you can do well on exams.

Luck has little to do with success; it's mostly a matter of dedication and effort.

In the long run, people tend to get what they deserve in life.

If the statements above best reflect your outlook on life, then you most likely have an internal locus of control.

A Word From Verywell

Your locus of control can have a major impact on your life, from how you cope with stress to your motivation to take charge of your life.

In many cases, having an internal locus of control can be a good thing. It means that you believe that your own actions have an impact.

If you tend to have more of an external locus of control, you might find it helpful to start actively trying to change how you view situations and events.

Rather than viewing yourself as simply a passive bystander who is caught up in the flow of life, think about actions you can take that will have an impact on the outcome.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Are You in Control of Your Destiny, or Are You at the Mercy of Chance?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Locus of control is the extent to which you feel in control of the events that influence your life. Do you make things happen, or are you at the mercy of chance?

# data[].attributes.body
Accept that you can control most outcomes in life, especially in school.

Accept that you can change bad habits and create positive outcomes.

Take accountability for mistakes and failings.

Learn to ask for help when needed.

Create a positive internal locus to combat negative feelings.

# data[].attributes.body
Hard work pays off

Don't procrastinate

Admit mistakes and try to correct them

Tell yourself... YOU can succeed

Ask for help

Banish negative thoughts

Try

Do the work with enthusiasm and effort

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Like I said in the above video, an "internal locus of control" is the way people feel about the outcomes in their lives. A person with an internal locus of control believes strongly in their own ability to control the events in their life. Whereas a person with an external locus of control believes that what happens in their life is determined by external forces. The former are much more resilient and bounce back from adversity more easily than the latter, simply because they believe it's possible and that it's completely in their hands. Think about it: if you firmly believe that only someone else can solve your problems, will you even try to solve them yourself? Probably not. And that's exactly what happens.

Another thing you need to know about people with an internal locus of control, is that they see their feelings as coming only from themselves. They know that nothing anyone else says or does can force them to feel a certain way, unless they let it happen. As a result, they don't feel dependant on other people doing or saying particular things (or on certain events occurring in a specific way) in order for them to feel better. They understand that it's the way they think about events that determines how they feel about those events. I've spoken about this extensively in previous videos, but the gist of it is that we always have a choice to feel the way we do or to change it, no matter what the situation is.

For example, other people cannot make us angry. They have absolutely no power on our emotions. We may not like what they do sometimes and we may experience an outburst that feels like it's happening automatically, but it's still up to us whether or not we will actually get upset. In the same way, jobs can't stress us out. They're just inanimate places of employment. They can't control our internal world. Yes, your boss might be rude and impatient sometimes. Yes, you might have a huge workload and a tight deadline, but you can still choose to feel happy despite that. Of course, it's easier said than done. I'm just making sure you're aware that it's possible.

It's your choice how you interpret events.

It's your choice what meaning you give to the things that happen to you.

It's your choice what you focus your attention on.

It's your choice who you compare yourself to.

It's your choice what you expect from yourself, from others and from your life.

It's your choice what you imagine will happen next.

It's your choice what you remember about your past.

It's your choice how important you consider events to be.

It's your choice what you think about.

It's your choice how you feel.

No one can upset you, but you.

What others say and do are just events that you can choose how to react to.

Events do not cause your feelings. Your thoughts do.

No one is responsible for how you feel, except you.

It's not anyone else's job to make you feel better, but your own.

Others can think and say whatever they want about you. But it's your choice how you feel about yourself. No one gets to make those choices for you, unless you let them. And you can choose not to.

Another thing that's equally important to remember is that you do not have control over other people's thoughts, emotions or actions. It is not your responsibility to make sure they are happy and it's not your right to change how they feel about anything. That being said, don't take this to mean you have blanket immunity to just go around being inconsiderate. I'm just stating this so you don't feel guilty when others feel bad and so you don't try to manipulate people into doing what you want them to.

If simply telling yourself those things doesn't help you internalise them, it likely means you first need to develop a stronger sense of self-esteem, or you won't take yourself seriously. If you need help with that, click here.

Other methods of developing an internal locus of control include:

Simply acting as though you have control over your life and your response to external events can ultimately convince you that it's true, even if you don't start out believing it. With enough practise, you will eventually come across situations where you get a taste of success and by reacting to it the way you know you need to, that process will become internalized with time.

Do you believe changing the way you think is doable? Do you secretly think of it as an impossible task that you will eventually fail at? Be honest with yourself, because your subconscious can tell, if you don't mean it anyway. Take some time away from distractions, sit in a calm space and analyse the things you tell yourself when things get tough. I'd urge you to write it down, because it's more confronting and you'll be more likely to shock yourself into positive change. At the very least, it will help you set things straight by telling yourself exactly how you're going to achieve this goal. That way you can't psyche yourself into believing it's unattainable and you'll have something physical to refer to when things get difficult.

Just like anything in life, your locus of control should not be black or white. Yes, according to everything I've explained above and in my video, you have a lot to gain by having a primarily internal locus of control. But you at least need to be aware that other humans also have a strong influence on your life. Not only that, but sometimes life throws external events at you that you can't avoid. Natural disasters, market crashes... These sorts of things cannot always be controlled and you need to be realistic about that, if you want to be able to move past them as quickly as possible.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you go too far forcing yourself to only have an internal locus of control, you may end up blaming yourself for things that are not your fault. I'd say a good ratio to stick to is perhaps 90% internal locus of control and about 10% external locus of control. That should keep you grounded, but not bogged.

This doesn't mean you should blame yourself. It means you should acknowledge the part you played in any given event, whether the outcome was positive or negative. So when the results are good, you praise yourself and recognize that your efforts paid off. And when the results are bad, you accept the consequences with dignity, while paying attention to what you did wrong and focusing on how you can improve in the future.

If you make a conscious decision to take responsibility for every event and outcome, without considering yourself as a victim, you will be well on your way to developing an internal locus of control, because it will become obvious to you that there is always something you can do to enhance your life. It's similar to having a solution-focused attitude, which I explained here.

As I said in this article, if you're not responding mindfully to what's going on, then you're reacting mindlessly to it. The difference may sound trivial, but trust me - it's colossal! Everything you do is a choice, even when you avoid making a choice - you're choosing not to make one! The problem is, when you choose to do nothing, you're essentially letting others control your fate. So if you're committed to developing an internal locus of control, you need to compel yourself to put more thought in your actions.

You can't change your current actions, unless you notice what you're doing, so you can decide what you will alter. Noticing these things can be very challenging. Especially when we're emotionally charged. So here's some questions you can ask yourself when you feel particularly negative emotions - just to get you started:

"What am I feeling right at this moment?" Be as specific as possible. Don't just say "I feel angry." Describe precisely what kind of physical sensations you're experiencing in your body.

"What thought am I specifically reacting to?" To pinpoint it, try to recall the last thing that flashed through your mind a split second before the unpleasant emotions got triggered.

"Is this reaction going to change anything or make the situation any better for me?"

"Could a different response produce a more desirable outcome?"

Once you've answered these questions, redirect your thoughts to the things you can control about the situation at this moment, and identify at least one thing you can do right now that will actually improve the situation.

If you know someone who already has a well-developed internal locus of control, model them. Watch how they behave when things get tough and see what you can copy in situations that frustrate or upset you.

If you don't have anyone like that in your life, you could always book a coaching session with me. I'd be happy to explain how I do it. I could walk you through my thought process when a triggering event happens and can even role-play with you through Skype, so you can try out what you've learnt in a safe and supportive environment.

If you're interested in more Happiness Strategy videos, you can find them on my YouTube channel. Subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode! I come out with a new one every Sunday.

Until next time, remember: Happiness doesn't require energy. It requires Strategy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Develop an Internal Locus of Control, So You Will Always Feel Secure | Happy and Authentic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Like I said in the above video, an "internal locus of control" is the way people feel about the outcomes in their lives. A person with an internal locus of control believes strongly in their own ability to control the events in their life.

# data[].attributes.body
(Article)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Personal Health

Image

Credit Credit Paul Rogers

"Look on the sunny side of life."

"Turn your face toward the sun, and the shadows will fall behind you."

"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day."

"See the glass as half-full, not half-empty."

Researchers are finding that thoughts like these, the hallmarks of people sometimes called "cockeyed optimists," can do far more than raise one's spirits. They may actually improve health and extend life.

There is no longer any doubt that what happens in the brain influences what happens in the body. When facing a health crisis, actively cultivating positive emotions can boost the immune system and counter depression. Studies have shown an indisputable link between having a positive outlook and health benefits like lower blood pressure, less heart disease, better weight control and healthier blood sugar levels.

Even when faced with an incurable illness, positive feelings and thoughts can greatly improve one's quality of life. Dr. Wendy Schlessel Harpham, a Dallas-based author of several books for people facing cancer, including "Happiness in a Storm," was a practicing internist when she learned she had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, 27 years ago. During the next 15 years of treatments for eight relapses of her cancer, she set the stage for happiness and hope, she says, by such measures as surrounding herself with people who lift her spirits, keeping a daily gratitude journal, doing something good for someone else, and watching funny, uplifting movies. Her cancer has been in remission now for 12 years.

"Fostering positive emotions helped make my life the best it could be," Dr. Harpham said. "They made the tough times easier, even though they didn't make any difference in my cancer cells."

While Dr. Harpham may have a natural disposition to see the hopeful side of life even when the outlook is bleak, new research is demonstrating that people can learn skills that help them experience more positive emotions when faced with the severe stress of a life-threatening illness.

Judith T. Moskowitz, a professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, developed a set of eight skills to help foster positive emotions. In earlier research at the University of California, San Francisco, she and colleagues found that people with new diagnoses of H.I.V. infection who practiced these skills carried a lower load of the virus, were more likely to take their medication correctly, and were less likely to need antidepressants to help them cope with their illness.

The researchers studied 159 people who had recently learned they had H.I.V. and randomly assigned them to either a five-session positive emotions training course or five sessions of general support. Fifteen months past their H.I.V. diagnosis, those trained in the eight skills maintained higher levels of positive feelings and fewer negative thoughts related to their infection.

An important goal of the training is to help people feel happy, calm and satisfied in the midst of a health crisis. Improvements in their health and longevity are a bonus. Each participant is encouraged to learn at least three of the eight skills and practice one or more each day. The eight skills are:

■ Recognize a positive event each day.

■ Savor that event and log it in a journal or tell someone about it.

■ Start a daily gratitude journal.

■ List a personal strength and note how you used it.

■ Set an attainable goal and note your progress.

■ Report a relatively minor stress and list ways to reappraise the event positively.

■ Recognize and practice small acts of kindness daily.

■ Practice mindfulness, focusing on the here and now rather than the past or future.

Dr. Moskowitz said she was inspired by observations that people with AIDS, Type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses lived longer if they demonstrated positive emotions. She explained, "The next step was to see if teaching people skills that foster positive emotions can have an impact on how well they cope with stress and their physical health down the line."

She listed as the goals improving patients' quality of life, enhancing adherence to medication, fostering healthy behaviors, and building personal resources that result in increased social support and broader attention to the good things in life.

Gregg De Meza, a 56-year-old architect in San Francisco who learned he was infected with H.I.V. four years ago, told me that learning "positivity" skills turned his life around. He said he felt "stupid and careless" about becoming infected and had initially kept his diagnosis a secret.

"When I entered the study, I felt like my entire world was completely unraveling," he said. "The training reminded me to rely on my social network, and I decided to be honest with my friends. I realized that to show your real strength is to show your weakness. No pun intended, it made me more positive, more compassionate, and I'm now healthier than I've ever been."

In another study among 49 patients with Type 2 diabetes, an online version of the positive emotions skills training course was effective in enhancing positivity and reducing negative emotions and feelings of stress. Prior studies showed that, for people with diabetes, positive feelings were associated with better control of blood sugar, an increase in physical activity and healthy eating, less use of tobacco and a lower risk of dying.

In a pilot study of 39 women with advanced breast cancer, Dr. Moskowitz said an online version of the skills training decreased depression among them. The same was true with caregivers of dementia patients.

"None of this is rocket science," Dr. Moskowitz said. "I'm just putting these skills together and testing them in a scientific fashion."

In a related study of more than 4,000 people 50 and older published last year in the Journal of Gerontology, Becca Levy and Avni Bavishi at the Yale School of Public Health demonstrated that having a positive view of aging can have a beneficial influence on health outcomes and longevity. Dr. Levy said two possible mechanisms account for the findings. Psychologically, a positive view can enhance belief in one's abilities, decrease perceived stress and foster healthful behaviors. Physiologically, people with positive views of aging had lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of stress-related inflammation associated with heart disease and other illnesses, even after accounting for possible influences like age, health status, sex, race and education than those with a negative outlook. They also lived significantly longer.

This is the first of two columns on positive emotions and health.

This is the first of two columns on positive emotions and health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Positive Outlook May Be Good for Your Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Personal Health "Look on the sunny side of life." "Turn your face toward the sun, and the shadows will fall behind you." "Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day." "See the glass as half-full, not half-empty."