Locus of control is a psychological concept that assesses whether a person believes they are in control of their lives, or that their life is controlled by chance, circumstances, or others. Believing you are in charge of your life is having an internal locus of control. “I worked hard and got into that program.” Believing you are subject to others, or to chance, is having an external locus of control. “I got lucky that I was accepted into that program.” 

Research indicates that people with higher levels of internal locus of control are more likely to save money,¹ make proactive decisions about their health,² and have improved mental health.³ Some researchers feel we should teach children to have a high internal locus of control so that they can be healthy and resilient.⁴ Internal locus of control is seen as a “better” viewpoint.  

A more powerful practice is to know the difference between internal and external locus of control, and choose to use whichever lens is more accurate. Notice which lens you are using and decide whether it describes your situation accurately. Break down where you have choice and where you do not. Even in events caused by others, your efforts or decisions can make a big difference. There will be aspects of the situation that you have no control over; don’t blame yourself for those things you can’t control. For example, it is in your power to take responsibility and make amends if you have caused a problem. You are giving your power away when you apologize for something that is out of your control. To be resilient you need to be clear about your locus of control in any given situation.  

You can check-in with yourself about your own sense of inner or external locus of control, particularly when you are making a decision. Here are three basic frames of reference:  

Notice where you have power, where you do have an internal locus of control in a situation. You have control over many aspects of your life, particularly in the long run. There is power in your habits: healthy eating, saving money, prioritizing sleep. All these create a measurable difference in your healthspan – how long you live a healthy life. There is power in your goals. Choose what matters to you and pursue those options you have. There is power in your relationships. Build connections with those who support you, or better yet, who are wanting to see the same changes in the world, to make a difference. There are a lot of ways you can impact your long-term well-being. Use your power to thrive.

Acknowledge the overlap between internal and external locus of control. The grey zone. I was born with a genetic predisposition to ADHD, phone apps are engineered to be “sticky” which is to say addictive, therefore getting sucked into one is bound to happen from time to time. I am pulled into a system that takes advantage of my weakness. External – I didn’t choose to have ADHD, and I don’t have the authority to ban companies from creating addictive apps. I can create boundaries for myself that allow me to focus my time on my long-term goals. I can also engage with one of these games aware that I am likely to lose the next several hours to mindless play. The world is full of grey zones, pay attention so you can make choices that best meet your goals.

Be real about things that are out of your control, where external locus of control is playing out. You did not create the universe, it is not your job to take personal responsibility for what you did not do. Some things are the result of so many complicated factors (that tornado destroyed this house) that we simply call it chance. All the ism’s are real (racism, sexism, ableism), and existed before you did. There are quantifiable differences in pay, health care and opportunities based on various inequities. These are external forces that are the backdrop of life. By noticing and naming them you can see where you, and those around you, are being swayed by these forces. You can use your internal focus to decide when and how to speak up.