The Locus Rule: How to Use The Locus of Control Stay Motivated

It’s easy to get bogged down daily and lose sight of your long-term goals.

But to be successful, you must find a way to stay motivated.

One way to do this is by following the Locus Rule.

The Locus Rule is simple: The more control you have over your environment, the more motivated you will be.

So if you feel stuck in a rut, look at your surroundings and see if there’s anything you can change.

Here are some other ways to stay motivated in life and business:

Table of Contents

What Is The Locus Rule?

The locus rule is a mental model that encourages us to take ownership of our actions and to recognize that our efforts are the primary determinant of our outcomes. It is based on the notion that we should adopt the belief that our actions have the most impact on our results rather than external factors.

The locus rule is grounded in the law of cause and effect and encourages us to believe that hard work can beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Above all, it encourages us to become the captain of our destiny and adopt a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset.

Therefore, by following the locus rule, we can create motivation and energy to achieve our goals.

To use the Locus Rule effectively, you must first understand the locus of control.

What is the locus of control?

The locus of control is a concept developed by Julian B. Rotter in 1954. It relates to how much individuals perceive that they have control over their actions instead of external forces controlling them.

It is measured along a dimension of ‘high internal’ to ‘high external.’ An individual’s locus is either internal (believing they can control their own lives) or external (believing external factors, luck, or fate control life).

Individuals with a high internal locus of control believe events in their life are primarily a result of their actions. In contrast, those with a high external locus of control attribute such events to external factors or luck.

Locus of control is one of the four dimensions of core self-evaluations, and research has shown it to have the ability to predict job satisfaction and job performance.

Internal Vs. External Locus of Control

Your locus of control is your general attitude toward life and the degree to which you believe you can control what happens to you.

People with an internal locus of control believe they can affect their destiny and take charge of their lives. Those with an external locus of control see life as controlled by powerful others or outside forces.

What Is Internal locus of control?

Internal locus of control refers to the belief that an individual has control over their own life and is responsible for their own successes and failures.

People with an internal locus of control believe that they have the power to shape their lives by their own decisions and actions rather than relying on external factors such as luck or fate. This sense of control and agency can lead to increased self-confidence, higher motivation, and improved performance in both professional and personal life.

Additionally, people with an internal locus of control are more likely to take the initiative to reach their goals and take responsibility for their mistakes.

Conversely, those with an external locus of control are more likely to attribute outcomes to external factors and avoid taking risks.

What Is External Locus of Control

External locus of control is the belief that outside forces cause a person’s success or failure. This can be related to luck, fate, or other external influences.

People with an external locus of control tend to feel helpless to change their situations and often blame others for their misfortunes.

On the other hand, people with an internal locus of control feel that they control their own destinies and take ownership of their decisions and outcomes.

Having an internal locus of control can help you stay motivated in life and business by providing a greater sense of control over your life. When you believe you are in charge of your success, you will be motivated to work hard to achieve your goals.

Believing that you can control your actions’ outcome can also help reduce stress and anxiety, as you know that you are responsible for your success.

Additionally, having an internal locus of control can help to boost your confidence as you have faith in your own abilities.

High internal locus of control

Having a high internal locus of control means that people are more likely to take responsibility for their own actions and look inward when trying to improve their outcomes.

This is evidenced by the Leadership IQ study, which found that only 17% have a high internal locus of control. In comparison, 29% have a low or moderately low internal locus of control (an external locus of control).

People with a high internal locus of control are more likely to recommend their company as a great employer (148% more likely), are far happier with their career (136% happier), and are much more likely to be inspired to give their best effort at work (113% more likely).

When faced with adversity, these individuals are more likely to trust in their abilities and work hard to find solutions—having a high internal locus of control impels individuals to stay focused on their goals and take meaningful steps towards them, leading to better outcomes and greater accomplishment.

Ultimately, having an internal locus of control can make a huge difference regarding employee engagement, mental health, and well-being.

What are the benefits of having a strong internal locus of control?

People with a strong internal locus of control believe they can direct their lives and control their destinies. This belief often leads to higher motivation, as people feel empowered to achieve their goals. A strong internal locus of control can also lead to increased satisfaction in life and at work.

Self-Motivation: People with a strong internal locus of control are self-motivated and focused on achieving their goals.
Good Leadership: Those with a strong internal locus of control often make good leaders as they fully control the events in their life.
Increased Success: A strong internal locus of control is associated with greater success in work and school.
Improved Grades: Students with a high internal locus of control are more likely to earn higher grades and dedicate more time to studying.
Greater Fulfillment: A strong internal locus of control leads to greater fulfillment.
Increased Productivity: Those with a strong internal locus of control are more productive in their work as they are self-motivated and focused on achieving their goals.
Improved Advertising: Entrepreneurs have improved success in selling products by catering their advertising efforts towards those with an internal locus of control.
Reduced Stress: People with a strong internal locus of control are less likely to experience stress or anxiety when facing difficult situations.
Avoid Complaining: A strong internal locus of control encourages one to focus on self-improvement over complaining about others.
Accept Responsibility: People with a strong internal locus of control are more likely to accept responsibility for their successes or failures, even in the case of unfavorable outcomes.

How to develop a strong internal locus of control?

Pay attention to your self-talk and identify thoughts that suggest you have an external locus of control. Challenge these thoughts and help yourself focus on the things you can control.
Set goals for yourself and identify ways you can work toward achieving them. This will help you to foster a sense of ownership and control over your life.
Develop your decision-making and problem-solving skills so that you can better manage any challenges that arise.
Learn more about your locus of control. Understand what it is and how it can affect your outlook and your ability to take control of your life.
Change your environment if needed. Make sure the people and places you surround yourself with encourage and support your internal locus of control.
Take responsibility for your actions. Acknowledge when you make mistakes and take ownership of your successes.
Take control of your learning. Take the initiative to explore topics of interest and build upon what you already know.
Try new things. Don’t be afraid to take risks and try something different that has the potential to help you grow.
Spend time focusing on self-improvement. Work on improving your strengths, but also work on your weaknesses so you are an overall better person as we advance.
Have a moderate, rather than strong, internal locus of control. This may make you more able to accept situations you can’t influence and manage effectively when they arise.

How does the Locus Rule work in life and business?

The Locus Rule is a powerful mental model that can help create motivation and energy for accomplishing goals.

It is based on the belief that our actions impact our results and that hard work can beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard. By adopting this mindset, we become the captains of our destiny and understand the positive correlation between our effort and the success we achieve.

In life and business, this rule encourages us to take responsibility for our outcomes and to understand that external forces are not entirely in control of our fate. Understanding and believing this makes us more motivated and driven to work towards our goals.

Rotter’s locus of control scale

The Rotter’s locus of control scale was developed in 1954 by Julian B. Rotter and consisted of a 13-item forced-choice questionnaire.

The scale is used to measure an individual’s locus of control, which is a spectrum that ranges from having an external locus of control to an internal one. It’s widely used and validated, showing reliability and validity.

The scale is intended to measure an individual’s internal versus external control of reinforcement and is often used in personality studies.

In addition to Rotter’s scale, other scales exist to measure locus of control, such as Bialer’s (1961) 23-item scale for children, the Crandall Intellectual Ascription of Responsibility Scale (Crandall, 1965), and the Nowicki-Strickland Scale (Nowicki & Strickland 1973).

The Duttweiler (1984) Internal Control Index (ICI) is another widely used measure of locus of control and addresses perceived problems with the Rotter scale.

Overall, the Rotter’s locus of control scale is a widely used and accepted measure of an individual’s locus of control that can provide insight into an individual’s beliefs and behaviors.

Locus Of Control Vs. Circle of Influence

Stephen Covey’s Circle of Influence concept builds on the idea of Locus of Control, which postulates that individuals have control over their behavior and outcomes.

It suggests that we can proactively focus our energies on the things we can influence and control rather than on those outside our circle of influence.

What Is The Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern?

Stephen Covey’s Circle of Influence is a powerful concept that helps us refocus our energy and attention on the things we can control. It encourages us to move away from victimization and blaming and towards proactive behavior by helping us identify areas in our lives that we can do something about.

Covey’s Circle of Influence consists of the Circle of Concern and the Circle of Influence. The Circle of Concern is the broad range of worries we might have, and the Circle of Influence is what we can do something about – either directly or indirectly.

By understanding this concept and applying it to our lives, we can increase our effectiveness and start taking steps toward positive change.

Internal Locus of Control	External Locus of Control
Believes that success is due to hard work and taking responsibility for their actions	Believe success is due to luck or timing, are more influenced by other people’s opinions, and feel hopeless when faced with difficult situations.
Circle of Influence	Circle of Concern
Things individuals can do something about, either directly or indirectly	Wide range of worries about things that can’t be directly acted upon.

Locus of control is a theory of learning that suggests that behaviors will be reinforced or halted based on the perceived locus of control.

Attributional style is an advancement of the locus of control theory which includes other factors such as whether the cause is global or specific, stable or unstable.

While the locus of control looks at the perceived amount of control over an event, attributional style looks at how people explain successes and failures in their lives, including attributing them to internal or external factors, short-term or long-term factors, and factors that affect all situations.

Additionally, attributional style also considers the dimension of globality-specificity, which the locus of control does not. In short, locus of control is concerned with individual differences, while attributional style looks at the general processes of how and why people make the attributions they do.

FAQ

How do you stay motivated by the locus rule?

By following the locus rule, you can stay motivated by believing that your actions impact the results you achieve and that hard work can beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Additionally, it would be best if you adopted a growth mindset, enabling you to see the connection between your effort and the success you achieve.

What is Locus in motivation?

Locus in motivation is the belief that a person has control over their life and the results of their actions. It’s a spectrum divided into two halves, internal and external, that determines whether an individual takes responsibility for their successes and failures. Internal locus of control is when people believe their actions cause their successes and failures. In contrast, an external locus of control is when they believe their success and failure are due to outside forces.

What is an example of locus of control?

Locus of control is the degree to which individuals perceive their behavior and life outcomes as caused by their choices, actions, external forces, or luck. For example, a person with an internal locus of control starts a side hustle because they believe they can succeed if persistent. A person with an external locus of control does nothing because they believe that the economy sucks and they are unlucky with money.

What are the 2 types of locus of control?

The two types of locus of control are internal and external. Individuals with an internal locus of control believe they have control over their actions and outcomes. In contrast, an individual with an external locus of control believes that their life outcomes are determined by external forces or luck. Both types of locus of control are on a continuum, with most people existing somewhere in the middle.

What is locus of control in personality?

Locus of control is an important concept in personality theory that describes how much an individual believes they have control over the outcomes of events in their life.

People with an internal locus of control believe they control their own lives. In contrast, people with an external locus of control are more likely to see their lives as determined by exterior forces they can’t control.

Factors such as parenting, cultural influences, and other psychological theories such as self-efficacy and attribution style can influence an individual’s locus of control.

16 Personalities: A Complete Guide To Myers-Briggs And Personality Types

What does it mean if someone has a high locus of control?

People with a high locus of control believe they have greater control over their actions and life outcomes. They are more likely to take personal responsibility for their actions and believe they can change their behavior to improve their outcomes. They don’t attribute their successes or failures to external forces or luck.

What do you call someone who wants to control everything?

Someone who wants to control everything is referred to as having an internal locus of control, as this type of person believes they control their fate rather than external forces.

What is a locus simple definition?

Locus of control is a concept that measures how much an individual believes they can control the outcomes of their life based on their actions or external factors. It’s measured along a continuum ranging from “high internal,” believing that their behavior is mainly a product of their efforts, to “high external,” believing that external forces or luck are more influential. This concept is important for predicting how someone may react in various situations and how successful they may be.

Who proposed the locus of control concept?

Julian B. Rotter proposed the locus of control concept in 1954 as part of his social learning and clinical psychology work. He created a 13-item forced-choice scale in 1966 to measure locus of control.

Why Locus of Control Is important?

Locus of Control is a concept that has wide applications in fields such as educational psychology, health psychology, and industrial and clinical psychology. Individuals must understand their locus of control, as this determines if they believe their behavior influences life events or if circumstances beyond their control largely determine their fate. Understanding one’s locus of control profoundly affects how one perceives and performs.

Sources Cited

Conclusion

It may be time to reassess your locus of control if you find it difficult to stay motivated in your life or business. The Locus Rule can help you take control of your life and find the motivation you need to succeed. Implement the tips in this guide and see how your locus of control can improve your mental and physical health!

Improvement Pill has an excellent video about the Locus Rule.