Locus of Control refers to how much you believe your life is controlled by either:
a) External Forces (fate, other people, luck etc) or
b) Internal Forces (the choices you make and your own efforts)
You may like to take this quick quiz to rate yourself before you read this page.
People who have an external Locus of Control often feel victimized, coerced, unhappy ... almost like life is constantly holding a gun to their head. They don't see much of a link between their actions and behaviours and the results they get.
They are often easily persuaded by the opinion of others, particularly people they feel are 'superior' to them. Generally there is a lot of blame going on in their world - blaming others/circumstances for making their world an unpleasant place. Any success (or failure) they experience they are likely to put down to luck rather than their own efforts. They have a belief that their world is being played out according to someone else's game plan (be it a person or circumstance).
Fortunately, Locus Of Control is generally considered to be a learned trait rather than an innate personality construct. Your locus of control can be influenced through your life experiences and personal growth ...for example by working with a therapist, experiencing the power of life coaching, reading and listening to self-improvement material, attending self-awareness workshops.
Go to Motivation in the Workplace Directory from Self-Efficacy
For more comprehensive coverage you can go to the site of world-renowned psychologist Albert Bandura - the father of the Self Efficacy and Optimism movement

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