Locus of Control

It's important to maintain a strong locus of control.

According to Wikipedia, the locus of control is defined as "Locus of control is a theory in personality psychology referring to the extent to which individuals believe that they can control events that affect them."

Whether we choose to believe it or not, there are always certain things within our realm of control and other things that are not. And as much as your personality can be defined by your surrounding environment, it's important to realize that the amount of control you have over your own life is at least partially defined by the amount of control you believe you possess.

The mystical concepts of someone who is smart or lucky often have a negative effect on your locus of control. Indeed, when students were praised for being smart as opposed to being praised for having worked hard, their performance suffered in comparison. By bringing the source of success and praise into a strong internal locus of control, students are more likely to excel.

In short, this echoes my previous post that there is a significant advantage in taking a perspective on things where you are handling the steering wheel.