An internal locus of control is correlated with greater success and achievement because the tendency to attribute both one’s successes and failures to one’s actions gives students, athletes, businesspeople, and even parents a reason to review their actions, identify where they could improve, and take action.

For example, students with an internal locus of control might blame poor grades on their failure to study, whereas students with an external locus of control may blame an unfair teacher or test for their poor performance. …

People with an internal locus of control assume a personal responsibility and influence over what happens to them. When they face a new and unpredictable situation they trust their ability to influence it, and so the unknown appears less threatening (ibid.).

If a person has an internal locus of control, that person attributes success to his or her own efforts and abilities. A person with an external locus of control, who attributes his or her success to luck or fate, will be less likely to make the effort needed to learn.

Locus of control is what an individual believes causes his or her experiences, and the factors to which that person attributes their successes or failures.

There are two types of locus of control: internal (inside) and external (outside). Individuals with an internal locus of control believe their behaviors are guided by their personal decisions and efforts and they have control over those things they can change.

Locus of control was initially described as a personality trait referring to a person’s stable beliefs of personal efficacy (Rotter, 1966).

Those with an internal locus of control are often described as having a “fixed mindset” – they believe that people people’s talents (like intelligence or athletic ability) are fixed traits they have from early on in life. Those with a fixed mindset believe that great leaders are usually born, not made.

A person’s “locus” (plural “loci”, Latin for “place” or “location”) is conceptualized as internal (a belief that one can control one’s own life) or external (a belief that life is controlled by outside factors which the person cannot influence, or that chance or fate controls their lives).

An example of locus of control is when you want to change jobs. If you leave it up to fate to get a call for an interview, you believe in an external locus of control, but if you trust in your abilities and take an initiative to apply at various places, you have a strong internal locus of control.

A strong external locus of control describes when someone believes what happens to them is luck or fate and that they are not in control of their life; it is all due to external forces in their environment (for example other people). As an example imagine ‘Danielle’ does not do well in an examination.

People who develop an internal locus of control believe that they are responsible for their own success. Those with an external locus of control believe that external forces, like luck, determine their outcomes.

Alternatively, if you feel you are in control of things that happen to you, you have an internal locus of control. These people have an attitude of personal responsibility and believe that their choices and behavior influence the outcomes they experience in all facets of work and life.

An internal locus of control is associated with achievement and success because of the tendency to attribute both your successes and failures to your actions. It gives employees a reason to study their actions and find out where they went wrong and take the necessary actions to improve.

3 Ways to Increase Internal Locus of Control

1. Change the blame game. Reflect back to moments that caused you distress.
2. Take charge. Imagine your future goals and the path you would like to take to get there.
3. Embrace failure. Take failure as an opportunity to learn.

External Locus of Control Advantages » Being a good team player. » They can be good at “letting go” of stressful situations, and can thus be happier people.

Young people with an internal locus of control are healthier, happier and more satisfied with their lives than those with an external locus of control. In a study of cause – effect relationship is established that internal locus of control determines a healthier lifestyle.

Undue Anxiety

• People with an internal locus of control believe that it is their efforts that determine their life experiences.
• They attribute the failure to something they did wrong, even refusing to consider that there may have been some external influencing factor.

The locus rule is a concept used by many successful people to help them stay motivated on their tasks, even when things aren’t going their way. This theory comes from the idea of the locus of control, which is essentially the degree to which you believe you have control over your life and the things around you.

Within psychology, Locus of Control is considered to be an important aspect of personality. The concept was developed originally Julian Rotter in the 1950s (Rotter, 1966). Locus of Control refers to an individual’s perception about the underlying main causes of events in his/her life.

Focus on what you can control. Ask yourself: “What do I want from my life?” Next make two separate lists. Looking at your steps, note what you have control over and what you don’t. Then reflect on your strengths. Create a plan for how you’ll use your strengths to address the steps you have control over.

Some research has shown locus of control (LOC) to be a significant factor in ethical decision making among individuals in certain cultural groups. When faced with an ethical dilemma, generally individuals with an internal LOC respond more ethically than do those with an external LOC.

Health locus of control refers to the belief that health is in one’s control (internal control) or is not in one’s control (external control). Among adults, external locus of control is associated with negative health outcomes, whereas internal locus of control is associated with favorable outcomes.

Machiavellianism is a strategy of social conduct that involves manipulating others for personal gain (Wilson et al. Brown and Treviño (2006) state: “In contrast to ethical leaders, Machiavellian leaders are motivated to manipulate others in order to accomplish their own goals.

Machiavellianism is a personality trait that denotes cunningness, the ability to be manipulative, and a drive to use whatever means necessary to gain power. Machiavellianism is one of the traits that forms the Dark Triad, along with narcissism and psychopathy.

High Machs can exhibit high levels of charisma, and their leadership can be beneficial in some areas. The presence of Machiavellianism in an organisation has been positively correlated with counterproductive workplace behaviour and workplace deviance.

An example of something Machiavellian is the idea of using schemes to obtain political power; a Machiavellian idea. Machiavellian is defined as a person who follows Machiavelli’s ideas of deceitfulness in The Prince. An example of a Machiavellian is a person who will lie and cheat to get the throne.