“Locus of control” is a term that was coined in the 1950′s in the psychology community. It may not grab your attention when you first hear the phrase, but its application is profound. It basically refers to your belief of whether or not you are in control of the events and circumstances in your own life. A strong external locus of control means you believe that fate, other people, or luck control your life. A strong internal locus of control means you believe that your life is basically a result of your own doing. As I am writing this, I am thinking that this should have been the very first topic covered when I started this blog.
If you don’t believe you are in control of your own life, you aren’t likely to make any changes for the better. What would be the point in trying to make your life better if you believe that an unforeseen wave will always come out of nowhere to ruin your sandcastle? I believe that most people are somewhere in the middle on this topic. Most probably believe that they do have the power of choice when it comes to minor things (like which flavor of ice cream to buy), but it only goes so far and doesn’t apply to making drastic life changes. What about you? Are you in charge? Do you believe you have the power to control the direction of your life? Or do you believe that success is only for the lucky or the “chosen ones”?
Try this simple exercise:
1) Write down one big goal in your life (i.e. dream job, house, relationship).
2) Do you REALLY believe that this is possible for you?
3a) If yes, what’s the next step you can take to get you closer to your goal?
3b) If no, do a little research and find someone who has overcome whatever it is you think is holding you back. I guarantee you will find that someone in the history of the world has overcome the exact situation you’re in, if not a worse one. Also, find someone you can talk to who has accomplished the goal you want to accomplish. Ask for guidance to find out how they did it.
4) Do it! The bottom line is you have to believe in your own power. You already have the power. It lies within us all. The question is, will you choose to use it? If you do believe in your own power, you can go now 
. If you don’t, here are a few examples of famous people who believed in their own power and overcame obstacles to achieve their goals:
-Steven Spielberg overcame anxiety and was rejected by the UCLA film school.
-Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore.
-Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and could not read until he was seven years old.
-Dr. Seuss’ first book was rejected by 28 publishers.
-Colonel Sanders, at the age of 65 and living on social security, heard 1009 “no’s” before one restaurant agreed to start selling his chicken.
Do you believe in your own power now?