What is your locus of Control is it (Internal or external)

To what degree do you control your life? and how much is your life controlled by other powers? When you jog your mind this can be an intriguing question with no definitive answer.

How you view the ability to control your life and it's outcomes affects your thoughts and behaviour more than you can imagine.

The concept used in the psychological literature is known as the locus of control which is quite unfamiliar to most people. This concept is divided into two categories

• internal locus of control

• external locus of control

If an individual has an internal locus of control they tend to attribute their success based on their efforts and abilities. Likewise, an individual with an external locus of control attributes their success on luck or fate.

The unfortunate thing is that such individuals are more likely to suffer from anxiety because they believe they don't have control over their life's.

Locus of control is viewed as an inborn personality component however, there is also evidence that it is shaped by childhood experiences.

The way you view your locus of control influence your motivation to take action. If you believe that you hold the keys to your setbacks then you can take action towards the change needed.

On the other hand, if you believe your setbacks are out of your control you may less likely work towards change. It is important to note that no one has a 100 per cent internal or external locus of control. Most individuals lie somewhere between the two continuum.

Everyone has a responsibility for working on their locus of control to build resilience towards the challenges that life throws.

The purpose of life is not to be happy. is to useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference you have lived and lived well.- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I will list down some tips that will help you develop your Internal locus of control:-

• Taking responsibility in your life over everything that life throws at you the good bad irrespective, this enhances critical thinking of what steps you would have taken to get a different result.

• Identify the people who have developed an internal locus of control and learn from them, especially how they behave in times of crisis and allow them to be your models.

• Avoiding on dwelling on things outside your control that cause stress and mental head-space could be better used in seeking solutions. Rather than focusing on controlling the environment, people and situations focus more on what you can control.

• Put your efforts on changing your feelings, thoughts and behaviour, it is important to note you cannot change others but you can change you because you have control over that.

• Setting goals for yourself is a good habit and you can start small if you need to overtime you will build your sense of control and confidence. Even in this Corona pandemic, you have control on what to focus on, don't you?

You can choose to be gloomy and become a complainant, or you can choose to seek out the opportunities that present themselves with every crisis. Personally, l have chosen to seek out opportunities and I've diversified my strategies of doing things by adopting to the new normal.

Work on developing your problem-solving skills as you cultivate that you will enhance the ability to make better choices. Do a self-introspection and check if you need a little work to cultivate an internal locus of control.

In conclusion, it is important to cultivate a balanced locus of control, especially in this global crisis we are experiencing. Seek out for opportunities and build resilience which will enhance making better choices holistically!