The Locus Rule can upgrade your life. Many of us navigate life the best way we know how, but we don’t always have the knowledge and tools needed to make the best choices. Our internal belief systems have been hardwired over time based on input from the world around us. Our parents, family members, and others contribute to how we see ourselves and who we believe we are. We are products of our environments and what we believe about ourselves is generally the way we navigate daily life. Do we feel that we are controlled by external or internal forces that dictate our actions? This is called the locus of control.
locus of control– is a psychological concept that refers to how strongly people believe they have control over the situations and experiences that affect their lives.
Studying students results
Columbia University Prof Claudia M. Mueller created a study, The Locus Rule. The study involved student’s achievements and how they felt about how they did. They were first asked to complete a task. At the end, they assessed the results and told half of the students that they were very smart. The other half were told that they did well and they could tell they worked really hard on the tasks. Next, they had the students work on other tasks ranging in complexity from easy to challenging.
The students that were told that they were smart opted to work on the easy tasks while the students that were told that they worked hard on the previous tasks selected the more challenging tasks. This information revealed the motivation levels between the students. It was discovered that the students who were labeled smart became enabled and then became idle, with little desire to challenge themselves further. Being smart doesn’t mean that you are done learning.
The Locus Rule motivates
When you are told you are smart you may not work as hard or accept bigger and more challenging tasks vs when you are told that you put a lot of effort in and worked really hard on something you tend to take on more challenging tasks in the future. Understanding The Locus Rule can help you be more motivated to take on bigger and better challenges. Our brains are still sponges, so let’s take on as many cool things as we can.
Locus of control external or internal beliefs will dictate how you perceive successes and failures in life. The people with an external locus of control have the belief that results are from external factors beyond their control. For example, believing it’s genetics, you have bad luck, other people caused it. They will usually blame others for what has happened to them and not hold themselves accountable.
People with an internal locus of control believe they are in control of the outcomes. They are in charge of their lives and are able to create and modify their own results along the way. This means that the results received are based on the actions taken by the individual, good or bad. They take responsibility for their actions, are dedicated to creating their own world, and usually have good self-esteem. They understand that there are certain circumstances beyond their control, but they approach it with the belief that they have choices on how they react and handle the situation. The mindset plays a big part in this.
Conclusion
The Locus Rule will benefit you if you understand that you have choices and are able to be in control. Your actions, efforts, and hard work will play a big part in the results you get. I believe you have it in you to learn, grow, and edit your life the way you want. Keep at it and keep up the good work!
