Do you see yourself in control of your life or do you believe that other people, events or even destiny rules what will happen to you? Being in control makes us feel comfortable and secure, abdicating our responsibilities can make us feel free. When in control of a situation we call the shots and can predict outcome and base our plans on what we know. When we let fate buffet us around life can be interesting, spontaneous and unpredictable.
Consider this the next time you struggle to get on with someone or fail to get the result you want. Where does the fault lie in your mind, why do you believe things didn't work out?
Who’s in Control?
The locus of control scale was devised by Julian Rotter in 1954 to describe this personality trait. He described the two types of personality as either Internal or External.
Internals have a tendency to attribute outcomes of events to their own control. Externals tend to attribute outcomes of events to external circumstances.
Depending on where you fall on the scale, from believing you are entirely responsible for everything in your life to happily going with the flow singing ‘Que Sera, Sera’, you will approach life in different ways.
Internals
Internals tend to be self motivated and driven. They look for ways to improve their situation, work for achievements, learn from mistakes and work hard to achieve their personal goals, even if they take time and long term effort.
They are less likely to be influenced by others (which can be good or bad!). They are also less likely to become depressed or take on feelings of helplessness as they feel more in control of their life. Social support is important for the Internal personality type.
Believing that their life is very much a result of what they put into it, they endeavour to get as much out of it by taking control and going for it.
On the downside their focus on achievement can mean that they forget to consider others and they can try to control a little too much sometimes. As they believe strongly that life is a result of their efforts they can also succumb to strong feelings of guilt.
Externals
The External personality profile on the other hand tends to just let things be. There is little point in striving to change their life as what will be, will be. Luck is important as well as knowing the right people.
This can mean that when difficulties occur previously set goals are lowered. Surprisingly after failing on an task expectations may be raised. As Externals believe more in outside influence they are more open to coercion from others, making decision making difficult in ambiguous situations.
This lack of control, unknown outcome for events and potential feelings of helplessness can all lead the External personality type to be more prone to anxiety and possible depression.
As life is beyond their control Externals also don’t worry too much about improving themselves or their lot but are happy to bumble along, taking each day as it comes.
Focus on your Locus
Do you recognise where you fall on the locus of control? Wherever you tend to drift towards by understanding a little more about yourself (if you’re a 100% external you’ll be disagreeing with me now anyway!) you can use this knowledge to check your reactions to both unexpected events (they will always happen) or in your day to day approach to life.
Using the positive Internal’s characteristics you can plan for the future, accept responsibility for what is in your control and create a life that you want. Working on your self improvement and your goals, accepting that hard work applied intelligently will reward you, you can feel in control of your destiny.
Taking the positive from the External’s character you can accept that sometimes things just happen and certain things are outside of your control. You can allow yourself some freedom from guilt and allow others to control some situations while you lie back and kick your heels.
As always the issue is finding the balance. How can you sum this up? Three lines –
“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The Courage to change the things I can and
The Wisdom to know the difference.”
