“Each player must accept the cards that life deals him or her. But once in hand one must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.”
~ Voltaire
LUCK OF THE DRAW
Is success a result of luck, hard work or both?
The correct answer may be less important than the implication of what you believe.
Psychology identifies two types of people: internals and externals. Internals believe that their actions lead to specific outcomes. “If I work hard, I will be successful.” Whereas, externals attribute outcomes to outside factors. “Not everyone can be successful, some people are just lucky.” This psychological concept, known as internal or external locus of control, impacts a person’s self-esteem, happiness and risk for depression.
So who’s happier?
When faced with challenging situations, internals believe they have the power to create change and will utilize their inner resources to do so. Externals, on the other hand, may feel powerless in similar situations, believing that people, events and forces outside themselves are the cause of their suffering.
What if you were to take full responsibility for everything in your life, your work, your relationships, your health, yourself? With no excuses and no one to blame-what might you do differently?
RECIPE FOR CONTROL
Developing an internal locus of control may aid “externals” in feeling more empowered. Take this simple online test to determine where on the spectrum you fall. Try to answer what you actually feel/believe, not what you think you should feel/believe.
Locus of Control Test
Developing an internal locus isn’t about controlling others-its about being responsible for your choices and the consequences of your actions.
