If you do something for yourself, rather than for the external impact, you can increase your:
- motivation,
- alignment with your values and purpose,
- influence on others and the situation,
- responsibility levels,
- effort and preparation levels,
- positive attitude,
- confidence levels,
- happiness levels,
- ability to challenge others,
- integrity,
- independence,
- self-determination,
- perseverance levels, and
- success.
When we make choices for ourselves, we have an internal locus of control. We believe we can influence our own life outcomes when we are internally directed.
When we have an external locus of control we attribute outcomes to external circumstances such as other people, events, luck or fate.
There are drawbacks to having an internal locus of control, though. Being hard on oneself and feeling responsible for both success and failure are also part and parcel of being internally directed. Sometimes a realistic sense of one’s circle of influence is helpful in a team or corporate context.
Overall though having an internal locus of control is seen to be better at creating outcomes we have a stronger likelihood of achieving.
As William Shakespear said. To thine own self be true.
How can an attitude of I am doing this for me help you?
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