How to Unlock Your Potential by Mastering the Locus of Control Mindset

As an ambitious woman entrepreneur, you're no stranger to challenges. From market shifts to client cancellations, countless factors feel beyond your control. But what if the key to thriving in business lies in your mindset?

Enter the concept of "locus of control," coined by psychologist Julian Rotter in the 1950s. It describes the extent to which you believe you have power over outcomes in your life.

Do you have an internal locus of control, believing your actions largely determine results? Or an external one, attributing consequences to outside forces like luck or other people?

When you're bombarded with business obstacles, it's easy to slip into an external locus of control and feel powerless. But by shifting your focus to what you CAN influence, everything changes.

You may not control the economy, but you can control your response - adapting strategies, pivoting offerings, seeking fresh opportunities. By taking radical ownership of your sphere of influence, you empower yourself to create desired outcomes.

Ask yourself: Where have I been giving away my power in business? How can I reclaim control and take actionable steps forward?

This doesn't mean becoming complacent about things you can't change. It's about recognizing the difference so you can allocate energy effectively. Because fixating on the uncontrollable wastes precious time and mental bandwidth better spent on meaningful progress.

To build your internal locus of control muscle:

1. Catch yourself blaming external circumstances

2. Ask "What CAN I do to move forward?"

3. Focus on solutions over problems

4. Celebrate wins, no matter how small

5. View setbacks as learning opportunities

Embracing extreme ownership of your business outcomes builds the confidence and resilience to weather any storm. While you can't control the choppy entrepreneurial waters, you CAN steer your own ship with adaptability and grace.

This week, notice where you're giving away your power and consciously choose to focus on what you can change. Every small step forward is a victory worth celebrating!

Ready to unlock your full business potential by mastering your mindset?

Let’s chat 👇🏽

Podcast Transcript:

Kiva Slade 0:02

Welcome to Collab with Kiva leveling up your life one episode at a time. I'm your host, Kiva, Slade, your personal guide to unlocking your potential and reaching your biggest goals. Through coaching, insights and mindset shifts, you'll gain insights to transform how you think, feel and approach challenges, so you can live more purposefully and reach your biggest visions. I'll bring a splash of sassy, real talk. Expect inspiring conversations and practical takeaways you can apply to be more purposeful, empowered and resilient in your daily life. So let's dive in and start expanding what's possible.

Kiva Slade 0:47

Guess what, guys? Before we dive into today's episode, I need to share something. This is my 100th episode. Oh, yay, and all of that good stuff. I had no idea when I said to myself "self, you should start a podcast" that we would get to this day. I have taken some breaks, a few hiatuses, is that plural? Yeah. And I'm excited today is that a 100th Episode! Yay. Yay. Yay. I want to thank you for all of you who have been listening since day one and you're still rocking with me. Those that have recently joined Hey, welcome, pull up a see get some tea. Let's get chatty about it. Those who, today is your first time listening and you're like what in the name of tarnation? Hey, just stay here it totally, you'll understand. And yeah, thank you for everyone who has been a support. I appreciate the comments that you guys send me and say, oh my gosh, today's episode was exactly what I needed to hear. I so appreciate that. I'm so grateful for everyone who has been a guest and has come to share their wisdom, their knowledge, their insight, their time with each and every one of us. So I just want to say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And in my best DJ Khaled I appreciate you. So now to today's episode.

Kiva Slade 2:33

Hello and welcome to another episode of Collab with Kiva. I am your host Kiva Slade, and today we are diving into a powerful concept that can transform the way you approach life in business. What is that concept you ask? Locus of Control. As women entrepreneurs, we face countless challenges and obstacles. But by focusing on what we can control, we can unlock our true potential and find greater fulfillment and success. I believe it. So what exactly is locus of control? Psychologist Julian Rotter, coined this term in the 1950s to describe the extent to which people believe they have control over that outcomes in their lives. People with an internal focus of control locus of control believe that their actions and decisions largely determine their results, while those with an external locus of control attribute outcomes to external factors like luck, fate or the actions of others. Here's the thing. As business owners, we're constantly bombarded with situations that are beyond our control. Can I get an amen? market shift economic downturns, client cancellations, you name it. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless in the face of these challenges. But when we shift our focus to what we can control, everything changes. We may not be able to control the economy, but we can control our response to it. We can adapt our strategies, pivot our offerings, seek out new opportunities. We can control how others perceive us. But we can control the quality of our work. The value we provide in the relationships we build. By taking ownership of what's with in our sphere of influence. We empower ourselves to create eight outcomes that we desire.

Kiva Slade 5:03

So today's first coaching question is, what's the one area of your business where you feel like you've been giving away your power? Let me repeat that. What's the one area of your business where you feel like you've been giving away your power? How can you reclaim, control and take actionable steps forward? How can you reclaim, control and take actionable steps forward? Now I want to be clear, accepting that we can't control doesn't mean becoming passive or complacent. It's about recognizing the difference between what we can change and what we cannot. So we can direct our energy and resources effectively. When we fixate on things outside of our control, we waste precious time and mental bandwidth that could be spent on making meaningful progress. Yes, I will repeat that when we fixate on things outside of our control, we waste precious time, and mental bandwidth that could be spent on making meaningful progress. picture with me, we have two business owners facing a slow sales month, one gets caught up in a spiral of weary worry and self doubt, convinced that external factors are conspiring against them. The other acknowledges the challenge, but immediately starts brainstorming creative marketing strategies, reaching out to past clients, who do you think is more likely to turn the situation around? Give you a hint. It's not the one who decided to spiral into worry and self doubt. Developing a strong internal locus of control is like building a muscle. It takes practice and consistency. In y'all know, I've been weight training lately. Building muscle is not easy when you become a certain age. But with practice inconsistency, I'm I'm pretty impressed if I must say with shoulders, biceps, triceps, um, when I do that whole, you know, flex in the mirror. I'm like, look at that definition. But it has taken practice, and it has taken me being consistent. So I need you to start by catching yourself. When you fall into the trap of blaming external circumstances. Ask yourself what can I do to move forward? What can I do to move forward? Focus on solutions, not problems? And what do I always say? celebrate your wins, no matter how small and learn from your setbacks.

Kiva Slade 8:34

So here's today's second coaching question. Think about a recent challenge you faced in your business? How did you respond? And I apologize in advance for explaining it. But I'm going to did you focus on what you could control or get caught up and all the other stuff? And as you think about that, ask yourself, what would you do differently next time. What you do differently next time. As you strengthen your internal locus of control, you'll start to notice a shift in your mindset and energy. You'll feel more confident, resilient, capable of tackling whatever comes your way. And that is the foundation of a thriving, successful business, as well as peace of mind. So before we wrap up, I want to leave you with a thought. Embracing your Locus of Control isn't about striving for perfection. Oh wore never facing challenges.

Kiva Slade 10:03

It's about developing mental toughness, adaptability to navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, with grace and determination. It's about trusting in your ability to steer your own ship, no matter how rough the waters get. Because there will be times the waters get choppy. There will be times when it feels like smooth sailing. How will you adjust, adapt, show up in those times is what's important. So this week, I want to challenge you to pay attention to your locus of control. Notice when you're giving away your power in consciously choose to focus on what you can change. Celebrate your progress. And remember, every small step forward is a victory. Heck, even some of our small steps backwards, our victories, because often those are our redirections. And that's a victory to be going now in the right or better direction. So thank you for joining me today. I am excited to share this locus of control with you. And I really can't wait to hear how. What happens rather, when you use spend time and energy focusing on what you can control and you watch your business thrive. So until next time, make sure to leave a review, share with your friends. Give it a like if you see it on LinkedIn, and all of those good things. But know that I am wildly cheering you on. As you embrace your locus of control. See you next time. We just took another dose of vitamin Kiva. Thanks for joining me on this journey of self growth and potential. I appreciate all of you who listen, share your wins, and give me feedback. If you want to continue the conversation. You can find me on my website, the 516 collaborative.com or you can reach me on LinkedIn and until next time, keep taking steps in the right direction and believe in yourself. You've got this!

Meet Kiva Slade—founder and CEO of The 516 Collaborative. With a unique background spanning high-powered politics on Capitol Hill and homeschooling, Kiva found her true calling lies in guiding business owners and leaders.

Originally, her work focused on orchestrating operations and data behind the scenes. But after realizing that mindset was the missing link holding business owners back, Kiva became a coach. Now she blends data savvy with research-backed psychology to help clients transcend barriers and build the business of their dreams.