Stimulus - Learn Tools to Crush It in Your Medical Career

Are You Betting On Yourself? | How locus of control makes all the difference

Jul 29, 2024

Dan McCollum, an emergency physician and Director of Teaching and Learning at the Medical College of Georgia, dives into the transformative concept of locus of control. He discusses how focusing on what we can influence leads to greater happiness and success, especially in high-pressure medical environments. The conversation touches on the power of small bets for significant change, the role of Stoicism in handling stress, and the importance of cultivating resilience to combat burnout. McCollum shares practical strategies for personal growth and embracing a proactive mindset.

51:17

Creator website

Episode guests

Dan Mccollum

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

A strong internal locus of control enables individuals to believe their actions primarily determine life outcomes, fostering greater happiness and success.

Embracing both acceptance of current circumstances and proactive actions is essential for personal development and cultivating a balanced mindset.

Shifting focus from outcome-based perfectionism to process-oriented thinking helps reduce stress and enhances overall well-being.

Deep dives

Locus of Control and Happiness

Focusing on what one can control leads to greater happiness and success. Individuals with a strong internal locus of control believe that their actions primarily determine the outcomes in their lives, contrasting with those who feel events are dictated by external factors. This internal agency helps in coping with stress and can alleviate feelings of helplessness often associated with burnout. By accepting circumstances and emphasizing personal effort, individuals can cultivate a more positive mindset.

Intro

5min

Taking Control: Locus of Control and Burnout

14min

Embracing Humility in Medicine

6min

Shifting Mindsets: Mastering Control in High-Pressure Situations

3min

Regaining Control: Lessons in Leadership and Accountability

4min

Empowering Growth Through Mindset Shifts

13min

Harnessing Habits for Personal and Professional Growth

2min

Understanding Growth Mindset in Medical Careers

3min

Success and happiness are often determined by where we place our focus: within ourselves or on external factors. Mastery lies in asking the right questions, and understanding the locus of control is a key part of this. Those who focus on what they can influence are generally happier and more successful. In this episode, we explore the philosophy behind the locus of control, its impact on burnout, the importance of small bets in making significant changes, and state vs. trait gratitude. Finally, we delve into practical strategies to cultivate a more resilient mindset

💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡

Guest Bio: Dan Mccollum, MD is an emergency physician and Director of Teaching and Learning at the Medical College of Georgia. Hear more of Dan on Stimulus episodes #1 Verbal Judo #14 Stoic With A Capital S, #25 Digital Minimalism, and #59 Aim to Be A Zero.

We Discuss:

Waiting room medicine has become the norm. It's not ideal. So what do you do about it?
The power of placing small bets
Stoicism and the philosophy behind locus of control
Some things in the world are up to us; others are not
Sextus, "The crowd is irrelevant."
What is the locus of control?
Shades of gray in the locus of control
The Stoic approach to patient complaints
Taming the blame ogre
Domains of control and the paradox of varied strength
The Stoic approach to patient complaints
How a mishandled aspirin overdose led to a major recalibration of control locus
A tactical approach to developing an internal locus of control
The 'Good' reframe
The five slices of gift exercise
The jar of awesome
Power of an end-of-day debrief
Trait vs. state of gratitude
Not every approach is for everybody
Book recommendations for operationalizing an internal locus of control

Mentioned in this episode:

5 Free Tools To Make Medical Practice Easier

Scripts for your least favorite conversations. The quick and dirty guide to calling consults. A 10-minute "Driveway Debrief" to switch off from work. My favorite documentation templates. Step-by-step guide for delivering the news of death.

Free Resources Link

Awake + Aware Bend May 5-7, 2025 | Our in person live event

Ready to reset, recharge, and level up? Awake + Aware is a game-changing 3-day workshop where you will learn how to stay cool when the pressure’s on and lock in the mindset you need to flourish. Space is limited. 🎓 P.S. Yes, this is a CME event!

Awake + Aware Bend 2025

Never Lame. Never Spammy. Always Fresh.

If you’d like a few minutes of career-elevating curated kickassery delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more