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Danielle Ranucci is an avid reader, writer, and audio-booker. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Press Club of Long Island. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys speaking Spanish, contemplating the human condition, and solving her Rubik’s Cube. |
| Consider this scenario: You are watching the Winter Olympics, and you’re jealous that you aren’t representing Team USA. You are not the master of your fate, nor the captain of your soul. In fact, everything in your life is out of control, and you feel helpless to help yourself. Meanwhile, your friend has somehow tamed the world, and has even snagged a ticket to see the Olympics. Why? You might have an external locus of control, and your friend might have an internal one. People with an external locus of control believe that they cannot change anything. They go with the crowd, so nothing is ever really their fault. They do not engage in life. They watch life pass them by instead. People with an internal locus of control believe that they can affect change. They have higher self-esteem and participate in life. If something doesn’t go right, they take responsibility and persevere. Some of these people even compete in the Olympics. If you have an external locus, not all hope is lost. You can always develop an internal one. Here’s how. • Discover Your Own Opinions In life, we have been trained to agree with others, from teachers to bosses. This diminishes the importance of our own opinions and hinders our self-esteem. Instead of nodding, think. Reflect on ideas critically and consider your own views. You may be afraid to acknowledge them because they seem “unpopular.” However, views that are “unpopular” to one group of people may be “right” to another. By acknowledging your own opinions, you will become more self-aware. You will also develop self-esteem. The fundamental truths of your world are not as absolute as you may have believed, and you have the power to affect change. • Stop Rationalizing Instead of bemoaning your powerlessness when something happens to you, pause. Consider whether you could act to alter the outcome. Most likely, you could. So act. For instance, I used to receive poor math grades because I didn’t study enough. Had I possessed an external locus of control, I would have blamed my grades on cruel-hearted teachers whose life-mission was to decimate my future. Instead, I stopped rationalizing, started studying, and improved my grades. I also developed my confidence—I realized that if I wanted to change something, I could. • Start Small You don’t become the master of your fate overnight. You start small, develop yourself, and learn to overcome adversity. With increased self-awareness will come the realization that you can make an impact. Progressing from making small changes to larger changes, you will gradually develop your inner locus of control, while growing your capacity for overcoming adversity. Going back to the Olympics scenario, you might make a minor change by ditching the TV for the treadmill. Then you might compete locally. Later, you might enlist your friend to help campaign for professional funding. In 2022, you might even be on TV. |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 