Life control = a can-do attitude
We all have the power to proactively respond to anything life throws at us.
‘Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’. (Victor Frankl)
According to Strycharczyk & Clough, the developers of the mental toughness model, mentally tough people generally respond positively to stress, pressure and challenge regardless of their circumstances. They identify ‘Control’ as one of the key 4 constructs that make up mental toughness and define it as a trait that empowers someone to believe they can handle what happens to them.
Let’s Define Control…
Firstly, let’s explore the construct of control in more detail (below) and then discover a highly effective, practical, activity that is guaranteed to increase your ability to respond more positively and skilfully to daily challenges.
A practical skill to build greater control
Understanding Locus of Control
Locus of control refers to the extent to which people feel that they have control over the events that influence their lives. This concept also describes the degree to which individuals perceive that outcomes result from their own behaviours, or from forces that are external to themselves.
‘When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves’. (Victor Frankl)
People who develop an internal locus of control believe that they are responsible for their own success. Those with an external locus of control believe that external forces, like luck, and chance, determine their outcomes.
Therefore, as the environment around us changes, we can either attribute success and failure to things we have control over, or to forces outside our influence. Which orientation we choose has a direct bearing on our long-term success and the degree of life-satisfaction that we enjoy.
Learning the art of letting go of many of the external circumstances that are out of our control ultimately has a profound affect on our anxiety levels and personal health.
Your Turn to find out what you can/cannot control
How can we support you?
Contact us to enquire into how we can support you to reliably develop highly levels of life and emotional control, which leads to greater personal and professional success.
At Get Mentally Fit, we offer programs and services, which have a unique focus on appreciating the learning styles and needs of our clients while educating people on effective thinking, which positively correlates with healthy behaviours.
We are adamant that the ‘how’, and the ‘why’, for positive change is central to mental fitness education and evidence-based practical exercises and professional support this process.
Want to know More?
If you feel this initial introduction to the concept of control sparks some interest, definitely check out some of the following resources.
We’re going to leave you with some thoughts from Victor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. Frankl’s experiences of being held captive at Auschwitz concentration camp, drove him to write the book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’.
Associated articles
Check out our the articles below, on the topic of mental toughness, where we explore the concepts of emotional control and life control.
