Where is your locus of control?
🎯Do you tend to have an internal or external locus of control? An internal locus of control means that you believe that you are in control and take responsibility for your actions. You are less influenced by the opinions of others. With an external locus of control, you believe that external forces are mostly responsible for your circumstances. Things are happening TO you. You may feel powerless in challenging situations. Developing a stronger internal locus of control will build resilience and allow you to become a proactive architect of your career.
🚀How can you develop a stronger internal locus of control?
1️⃣ Develop your awareness of your framing of events. Notice when you attribute your circumstances to external events or write off your options to choose in any given situation. Notice the language you use – rather than saying in frustration when reviewing a document “This makes no sense!”, get curious and ask “What’s going on here? What other information do I need to figure it out?”
2️⃣ Talk it through with a colleague, friend or coach. They can help you explore your perspectives, notice where they are holding you back and shine a light on your opportunities to exhibit agency.
3️⃣ Set goals that are wholly within your control. Instead of “I will bill 2,000 hours” (which is dependent on your efforts but also on the strength of the firm’s workflow), set a goal along these lines: “I will reach out to two partners a week to ask for work.”
4️⃣ Accept that not everything is in your control and that failure is a natural part of being human.
⭐ Note that while an internal locus of control is generally a healthier and more productive mindset, if taken too far, you may internalize forces beyond your control. For example, you blame yourself when a deal goes sideways when in reality there were many people on the deal team and many aspects of the deal that were out of your control. According to a PhD psychologist with whom I spoke with recently, women tend towards this dynamic more than men.
