Summary of How To Stay Motivated - The Locus Rule

Key Wellness and Motivation Strategies from "How To Stay Motivated - The Locus Rule"

• Locus of Control Concept:
  • Internal Locus of Control: Belief that your actions and efforts directly influence outcomes.
  • External Locus of Control: Belief that external factors (luck, innate ability, environment) determine outcomes.
• Findings from the 1998 Columbia University Study:
  • Children told their success was due to hard work (internal locus) were more motivated.
    • They spent more time on challenging puzzles.
    • They enjoyed the task more.
  • Children told their success was due to being smart (external locus) avoided difficult tasks.
    • They spent more time on easy puzzles.
    • They were less motivated and enjoyed the task less.
• Real-World Application (Sales Team Example):
  • Salespeople who blamed external factors for failure (weather, neighborhood) showed low motivation and quit quickly.
  • Those who took responsibility for their results (internal locus) persisted and performed better.
• How to Develop an Internal Locus of Control and Stay Motivated:
  • Actively solve problems in your life.
  • Reflect on and appreciate how your actions lead to positive changes.
  • Example: Improving sleep by applying researched techniques and recognizing your role in the improvement.
  • Build the belief that you control your destiny through your efforts.
• Additional Productivity Tip:
  • Taking courses to improve focus and attention span can help build internal Locus of Control.
  • Recommended course: "Productivity Today" on Skillshare to enhance focus and get more done.

Presenters/Sources:

• Professor Claudia M Mueller (Columbia University study)
• Video narrator/presenter (unnamed)
• Skillshare (online learning platform)

Notable Quotes

— 01:29 — « There's a concept called the locus of control which is essentially the degree to which you believe you have control over your life. »

— 01:54 — « The kids who were told that they did well because they worked hard started to believe in what's called an internal locus of control—they believed that it was factors they controlled that led to their outcomes. »

— 02:17 — « Having an internal locus of control is the key to staying motivated—you must feel like you have control over your life and that you are responsible for the things that happen to you if you want to feel motivated all of the time. »

— 03:10 — « When a new salesperson on my team was confronted with their first bad day, I would ask why they made no sales. If they blamed things like the weather, the weekend, or the neighborhood, I would instantly know they wouldn't last because they had an external locus of control. »

— 03:43 — « That's the curse of having an external locus of control: when you feel like nothing you do matters, you stop working, you stop trying—because what's the point of trying when the world's conspiring against you? »

Category

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Video