Effectiveness in managing situations in our daily life can be affected by many differentfactors.
Who is responsible for what is happening to us? What can we do to manage it? What consequences do our decisions and actions have for us and for others around us? What are our priorities and what are we pursuing?
These are some questions, the answers to which make up the concept of locus of control. By this term, we refer to our tendency to attribute what happens in our lives (both positive and negative) to internal or external factors.
When the locus of control is internal, we take responsibility for our actions and we are motivated either to achieve goals or to change what troubles us. When the locus of control is external, we attribute successes or failures to factors outside of us (e.g., luck, circumstances, other people) and assume that our decisions and actions will not significantly affect the outcome of any situation.
Our tendency towards the internal or the external locus of control is shaped by our experiences, our beliefs, our environment, our pursuits. However, it is not about a fixed, unchanging characteristic, but more about a tendency which is possible to change.
On a practical level, this means that -when we are called to manage a difficulty for example- by answering questions like the above, we can check where our locus of control is found.Then, we can evaluate what is functional for us in each case and if necessary, we can make adjustments and changes, based on our goals and aspirations.
Finding a balance as far as locus of control is concerned, that is, taking into account both internal and external factors when we try to explain what is happening around us, we are able to manage things more effectively. This balance allows us to perceive limitations and set boundaries that protect us, maintain our motivation, enhance our sense of competence and confidence, and achieve overall higher levels of well-being.