Shift Your Locus of Control to Take Charge of Your Engineering Career

Oct 2, 2025

Explore the powerful concept of Locus of Control and how shifting towards an internal perspective can enhance your career. Understand the differences between internal and external mindsets and why taking ownership of outcomes is crucial. Learn practical exercises to identify your influence in various situations and recognize your strengths. This enlightening discussion encourages you to rethink your approach and understand that you have more control over your life than you might believe.

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INSIGHT

What Locus Of Control Means

Locus of control describes whether you believe outcomes come from your actions or external forces.
Choosing a useful mindset matters more than matching objective reality exactly.

INSIGHT

Why Internal Leaning Is More Useful

An external locus risks inaction by assuming outcomes are mostly beyond you.
An internal locus increases chances you’ll influence outcomes, despite some trade-offs like burnout.

INSIGHT

Success Correlates With Internal Control

Successful people tend to report a stronger internal locus of control.
This correlation suggests shifting inward can improve career outcomes.

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This episode explores the concept of Locus of Control and why developing a more internal locus of control is beneficial for your career and life. You'll learn the difference between internal and external perspectives, why one is more useful than the other, and practical exercises to shift your mindset to believe you have more influence over the outcomes you care about.

Understand Locus of Control: Discover what psychologists mean by locus of control—whether you believe outcomes are determined by your own actions (internal) or by external forces like luck and chance (external).
Adopt a More Useful Mindset: Learn why an internal locus of control, while not a perfect reflection of reality, is a more useful and effective mindset for your career, as it prevents you from missing opportunities to influence outcomes.
Recognise Your Influence: Find encouragement in the idea that you almost certainly have more influence and control over situations in your life and career than you currently believe.
Shift Your Perspective with Practical Exercises: Engage in two research-based exercises to help you recalibrate your default beliefs and intentionally develop a more internal locus of control.
Leverage Your Strengths: See how focusing on your strengths can create a positive feedback loop, reinforcing the belief that your efforts directly impact outcomes and helping you build a stronger sense of agency.

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