How to Promote an Internal Locus of Control

Most people either have an internal or an external locus of control, which helps guide the way that they deal with situations in the world. An individual who has an internal locus of control believes that he can control his fate, successes and failures through his actions and beliefs, while an individual who has an external locus of control believes that he does not have control over these things, and that responsibility for their outcomes lies outside himself. Promoting an internal locus of control can be helpful in one's personal life, business and schooling.

Instructions

• 1

  Write down your long-term goals and create smaller steps toward accomplishing them. Think of something you can do each day to work toward your long-term goals. You will notice that as you accomplish your goals gradually, you will feel more self-confident and able to work toward even larger goals in the future.

• 2

  Ask yourself if there was anything you could have done better or differently when you experience failure, particularly if you often find yourself blaming others for things that have gone wrong. Write down the ways in which you were responsible for what happened, as well as different things you could do in similar situations in the future. Visualize yourself doing things in a different manner, and then try to let go of the failed experience so that you are not being overly hard on yourself.

• 3

  Learn new things on a regular basis, whether by taking classes or by meeting new people who inspire you. People who have a high internal locus of control are constantly trying to find ways to improve themselves, learning new ways to do things, improving their problem-solving skills and attaining higher levels of decision-making.

• 4

  Develop your social support network by spending time with your friends and family. This can help promote your internal locus of control by allowing you to talk with others when you experience success or failure in life, which can help you gain a more balanced perspective.

• 5

  Work on being positive on a daily basis. When you find yourself thinking about a situation or someone else in a negative light, try to think about the good instead.

• 6

  Realize that some things really are out of your control. You can attempt to manage and control many things in your life and work, but events will still occur that are unexpected and that cause you to need to reevaluate the situation and make your choices according to the best solution.