Mindset - Internal or External Locus of Control with Mike Simmons

Rethink The Way You Sell

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy!

This is an enhanced audio version of Mike Simmons' post in Deeper Thought "Mindset - Internal or External Locus of Control" including an interview with the author. How do you respond when shit hits the fan? When there is a mountain to climb? When you're Thomas Edison and your life's work is up in flames?

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We can show up, we can be intentional, we can be comfortable with letting go, we can operate with purpose. What happens when the shit hits the fan the first time? What's your immediate response?

The deal goes south, the kid is late to get home, the shop is on fire. Are you like Edison? - Do you tell your kid to go get the family so they can watch the spectacular sight?

Excerpt from "Obstacle is the Way" - Ryan Holiday

Do you take advantage of every opportunity? Do you commit? or...

Do you fold?

Carol Quinn - in her book on Motivation Based Interviewing discusses internal vs external locus of control. She also discusses this on episode 96 of the Catalyst Sale Podcast.

External Locus of Control - believe that failure/success/rewards/outcomes in life are generally outside of their control.

Internal Locus of Control - believe that their own actions determine the success/rewards/outcomes that they obtain.

I like to summarize this as "Oh shit, Not again. Why does this happen to me" = External Locus of Control. "Ok, I understand the situation - Let's Go" = Internal Locus of control.

When faced with a mountain, or a new challenge - what is your mindset? Do you look for the opportunity, or do you think - why do these obstacles keep getting in my way.

This is not the best illustration - but I was bored and I had a whiteboard, and I was not going to draw lines on the picture of the San Tan's above. There are a couple of ways that we can get to the top of a mountain. We can climb straight ahead, on a line, on the same heading, an overcome any obstacle in our way. We can traverse the mountain, and go around obstacles. Or, we can rent/build/buy a helicopter. (yes, that is my stick figure helicopter - get used to it)

How are you positively reinforcing your mindset around Internal Locus of Control?

Better yet, how are you creating an opportunity for your team, your kids, your family to build an internal locus of control mindset?

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