Ever get that sinking feeling that you're just a passenger in your own life? Like you're strapped into a roller coaster you didn't choose, watching the turns happen while you just hang on for dear life? That’s basically the vibe of having an external locus of control. It’s this psychological concept that describes when someone believes their successes, failures, and general life direction are dictated by outside forces—think luck, fate, powerful people, or just plain old "the way the world is."
It’s a heavy way to live.
Psychologist Julian Rotter first cooked up this idea back in 1954. He wasn't just guessing; he wanted to understand why some people learn from their experiences while others seem to hit the same wall over and over again. If you think the wall moved in front of you on purpose, you have an external locus of control. If you think you weren't looking where you were going, that's internal.
The reality is rarely 100% one or the other. We’re all on a spectrum. But staying too far on the "external" side can seriously mess with your mental health.
The Real-World Weight of Thinking "It's Not My Fault"
Let's get specific. Imagine two people lose their jobs during a recession.
Person A has a strong internal locus. They’re upset, sure, but they think, "Okay, the economy is bad, but I can sharpen my resume and network like crazy to find the next thing." Person B has an external locus of control. They see the layoff as proof that the "system" is rigged, that they’re cursed, or that their boss had a personal vendetta.
Which one do you think starts applying for jobs first?
Research, including a massive meta-analysis by Ng, Sorensen, and Eby in 2006, shows that people with an external orientation often report higher levels of job dissatisfaction and more stress. It makes sense. If you don't believe your effort changes the outcome, why bother trying? This leads to a phenomenon called learned helplessness. It’s a dark room where you stop looking for the door because you’re convinced it’s locked from the outside.
It isn't just about "laziness." That's a huge misconception. People with an external locus are often incredibly busy—they're just busy reacting. They are firefighting. They spend all their energy dealing with the "bad luck" they think the universe is throwing at them rather than building a shield or moving out of the way.
Why Your Upbringing Probably Started This
Nobody is born thinking the universe is out to get them. It's usually learned.
If you grew up in a household where rewards were totally unpredictable, you probably developed an external locus of control as a survival mechanism. If you got grounded one day for something that was "fine" the day before, your brain learned that your actions don't actually correlate with results. Why try to be "good" if "good" is a moving target?
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Culture plays a role too. Some societies value collective fate or religious predestination more than others. But in a high-pressure, individualistic society, having a purely external outlook can lead to massive anxiety. You feel like a leaf in the wind.
There's also the link to clinical depression.
Dr. Martin Seligman’s famous (and controversial) experiments on dogs showed that when animals were subjected to shocks they couldn't escape, they eventually stopped trying to escape even when the cage door was opened. Humans do the same thing. We call it "clinical depression," but at its core, it’s often an extreme external locus of control. You stop moving because you don't believe movement matters.
The Trap of "The System" and Modern Life
It's easy to fall into this trap today. Honestly, it’s easier than ever.
We have global pandemics, economic shifts, and algorithms that decide what we see. It’s very easy to say, "The algorithm didn't show my post, so I'll never be successful," or "Inflation is so high I'll never own a home." These things are real. Factual. They are external factors.
But the external locus of control kicks in when you decide those factors are the only things that matter.
Identifying the Signs in Your Own Head
How do you know if you're leaning too hard into this? Look for these patterns:
- The "Yeah, but" response: Every time someone suggests a solution, you have an external reason why it won't work for you specifically.
- Blaming "The Man": Or the government, or your ex, or your parents, for why your life looks the way it does right now.
- Heavy reliance on luck: Spending a lot of time waiting for a "big break" or a "sign" rather than making a plan.
- Quick to quit: If a project hits a snag, you assume it's "not meant to be" rather than a problem to be solved.
Can You Actually Change Your Locus?
The short answer: Yes. The long answer: It's going to be uncomfortable.
Shifting from an external to an internal locus is essentially a process of reclaiming agency. You have to start small. You can't just decide "I am the master of my fate" and expect your brain to believe it overnight. Your brain needs evidence.
In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), therapists often work with patients to identify "cognitive distortions." These are the lies your brain tells you. If you have an external locus of control, your primary distortion is "overgeneralizing" the power of outside forces.
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You have to find the "wiggle room."
Even in a situation where 90% is out of your control, that 10% you do control is where your life happens. Victor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust, wrote about this in Man's Search for Meaning. He argued that even in the most horrific, externally controlled environment imaginable—a concentration camp—a person still has the internal freedom to choose their attitude.
If Frankl could find an internal locus there, most of us can find one in our daily grind.
The Health Benefits of Flipping the Switch
When you start moving toward an internal locus, your body literally feels it.
Studies have shown that people with an internal locus of control have lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). They have better immune systems. Why? Because they feel less "threatened" by the world. If you believe you can handle what comes, your body doesn't stay in a constant state of "fight or flight."
You also sleep better.
You aren't lying awake ruminating on what might happen to you. Instead, you're thinking about what you're going to do tomorrow. It’s a subtle shift in prep vs. worry.
Actionable Steps to Reclaim Your Agency
Don't try to change your whole philosophy today. It won't stick. Try these instead:
1. Audit your language.
Listen to yourself. Do you say "I have to" or "I get to"? Do you say "He made me mad" or "I got angry when he did that"? Owning your emotions is the first step. Nobody can "make" you feel anything without your subconscious permission.
2. Set "Micro-Goals" with guaranteed outcomes.
If you feel like you have no control, pick something tiny. "I will drink one glass of water at 8:00 AM." When you do it, acknowledge it. "I decided to do that, and I did it." It sounds silly, but you're re-training your brain to see the link between intent and result.
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3. Distinguish between "Influence" and "Control."
Draw two circles. In the small inner circle, write things you control (your effort, your reaction, your schedule). In the big outer circle, write things you can only influence (your boss's opinion of you, your partner's mood). Everything else? Outside both circles. Stop spending energy outside the circles.
4. Practice "Counter-Evidence" logging.
When something goes well, your external locus will try to credit luck. Stop. Write down exactly what you did to contribute to that success. Did you show up on time? Did you prepare? Did you ask the right question?
5. Limit the "Venting" cycles.
Venting feels good in the moment, but it often reinforces the idea that you are a victim of circumstances. If you're going to complain about a situation, give yourself a three-minute timer. When it dings, you have to name one thing you can do to slightly improve the situation.
The Nuance: When External is Actually Okay
It's important to be honest here: having a bit of an external locus isn't always a bad thing.
Total internal locus of control can lead to "hyper-responsibility." This is the person who blames themselves for things that truly are out of their control, like a natural disaster or a company-wide layoff. That leads to a different kind of burnout.
A healthy person has a "bi-local" locus. They recognize the systems they live in, they acknowledge the role of luck, but they ultimately believe that their choices are the primary driver of their experience.
You aren't a god. You can't control the wind. But you are absolutely the one holding the rudder.
The shift happens when you stop looking at the storm and start looking at your hands on the wheel. It’s not about ignoring the external world; it’s about refusing to let it be the boss of you. Start by picking one small area of your life—maybe your morning routine or how you respond to a specific email—and decide that for that one thing, the "outside" doesn't get a vote.
Build from there. The more you exercise your agency, the stronger it gets. Eventually, the world starts feeling less like a threat and more like a playground—or at least, a place where you finally know how to play the game.
Practical Resource List
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (The gold standard for internal agency).
- Mindset by Carol Dweck (Focuses on growth vs. fixed mindsets, which overlaps heavily with locus of control).
- The "Locus of Control Scale" (A simple self-test often used in clinical settings to gauge your baseline).