What's Your Locus of Control?

Which of the following descriptions sounds most like you?

You have believe that you control the events in your life. You believe that what happens to you is the result of your own abilities and efforts. Rather than relying on the opinions of others, you think and behave independently. You are rarely influenced by others and are more likely to seek out the appropriate information to make your own decisions.

OR

You believe that things just happen and we have little influence over events. We can be lucky or unlucky, that’s just how it is. When faced with choices you tend to go with the flow and believe that things will be what they will. You have a tendency to be influenced by others and their opinions.

They describe two extremes of personality traits we call a person’s Locus of Control. They refer to the perception of personal control we have over our behaviour.

The first represents a high internal locus of control 

while the second describes someone with a high external locus of control. 

Most of us would fall somewhere between the two extremes and yet we can recognise one as most familiar when dealing with the challenges of life.

Locus of Control and Behaviour Change

Unsurprisingly, if we believe that we can change our behaviour, it is much easier to do just that. If we believe that we have control over our eating behaviour, we are more likely to be successful at a weight loss programme. If the smoker believes they have control over their compulsion to smoke, they will find it easier to stop the habit. 

Take another look at the descriptions… 

The person with the internal locus of control may find it easier to change their unwanted behaviours because they believe they are able to; it is within their control.  They seek out information to help them and decide the best course of action.

On the other hand, those who have a more external locus of control may find it difficult to change their unwanted behaviours. They believe that it is less within their control so it becomes more challenging to start the process of behaviour change.

People with an external locus of control can change their behaviour, but it might explain why some people find it more difficult to begin challenging an unwanted behaviour, and why they struggle to maintain more helpful ways of behaving.

Rather than think of someone having will-power, 

it might be more useful consider their overall view of the ability to succeed.

The Good News?

Locus of Control is not a fixed personality trait, it is more of an attribution. It’s the way we attribute our sense of control over events. Someone who has a tendency towards having a more external locus of control can learn to change their beliefs about how much control their behaviour.

If you have a tendency towards an external locus of control and want to make a change to your behaviour, make sure that you spend time focusing on increasing your belief that you can make that change. To begin with, focus on the evidence that you are in control of the behaviour. This might seem time wasted… but it will potentially make the change much easier.

Find out more about how Hypnotherapy can help change unwanted behaviours here!