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Control Your Locus

How I got where I am can be summed up with a few decisions I made. First, in 2006, I decided to go to a house party where I was hit over the head with a horseshoe stake and almost died. Having made that recovery several months later, I ran into the woman I had bumped into at work before the accident and we got married 3 years later. After time had passed, I decided to leave aviation and the government sector and work for a distribution center that doubled my commute. After experiencing the pain of non-government work, I left that job for one in construction. Again, after about a year, I left that job and bounced around for 5 more months until I interviewed for a position with Denver International Airport. My wife and I decided to leave Michigan behind and move to Colorado. I was only there for 6 months before my wife said she changed her mind and I needed to come home. Meanwhile, I tore my left Achilles stepping into a swimming pool at a conference in Las Vegas (probably because I was dehydrated from, you know, being in Vegas). After it was all said and done, I’m finally back working at the airport in Detroit and loving anything and everything they give me to do. When I reflect on how the last 13 years of my life has gone, I see it revolving around two events, both that were within my control. I didn’t have to go to that house party and I didn’t need to leave the airport in the first place. But, had I not done those things, I would have not met my wife and had my children and I wouldn’t know how to truly appreciate life.

Inside Heat

There’s no doubt I have an internal locus of control. In my life, success is dependent on what you put into it. Quite often, we’re reminded that some people are handed a lifestyle of riches and wealth, but that had to come from somewhere. Being successful doesn’t just fall out of the sky. I’ve seen many people enjoy the fruits of other’s labor or just find dumb luck more than the next person. These things happen and there’s nothing I can do about it. I believe in personal growth, which is something I think separates people like me from others. I am determined and passionate about what I do, which fuels my innermost desire to be the best that I can. Do I wish I could be in better shape? Yes, but someone other than me isn’t what is keeping me from accomplishing that. I only have myself to blame. However, I don’t think people are wrong for thinking the opposite as me. These people are not “better off” simply because they think the world owes them something. Frankly, I really don’t care, as I just continue to focus on what I can control in life – me.

The Power Up Top

I believe in a higher power, but not when I need a favor. I pray to relieve pain, suffering and hardship. I don’t expect my prayers to be answered if I simply want a yacht in the ocean. That is something I must work hard for. I thank God everyday for my amazing family, my health and my career. I’ve found great joy in life as a husband and father to two children. I don’t blame others as much as I blame myself for failing at something. I’ve been known to be hard on myself and not give credit when credit is due after I’ve accomplished something great. I believe every action has a reaction or that inputs create outputs and every action has some type of consequence. I thank God for all of this and what he does for me.

Empower, Do By Me

The causes of my locus of control appears to be completely random, but also determined by my own spirit of choice. I think I can explain most situations I’ve found myself in, but a lot of times, I really can’t. For it was me that decided to take actions resulting in certain consequences throughout my life. Many choices that were made impacted me greatly, if not in that moment, then at some point in my life. I wasn’t born with the ability to take matters into my own hands and shape my future. I don’t think anyone can determine their destiny simply by being born. I believe that there is proof in learning specific traits and bias from our parents as we are children. Through this forum, some of our first ideas of who we are and what we want to be starts to take shape. However, I don’t believe that the impact our parents have on us makes us have internal or external locus of control. I like to think I make a commitment to make things happen and strive every day to not limit myself but unleash my full potential. I will always revert to my belief that you make this world what it is by the efforts you put into it.

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