Success and happiness are often determined by where we place our focus: within ourselves or on external factors. Mastery lies in asking the right questions, and understanding the locus of control is a key part of this. Those who focus on what they can influence are generally happier and more successful. In this episode, we explore the philosophy behind the locus of control, its impact on burnout, the importance of small bets in making significant changes, and state vs. trait gratitude. Finally, we delve into practical strategies to cultivate a more resilient mindset

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Guest Bio: Dan Mccollum, MD is an emergency physician and Director of Teaching and Learning at the Medical College of Georgia. Hear more of Dan on Stimulus episodes #1 Verbal Judo #14 Stoic With A Capital S, #25 Digital Minimalism, and #59 Aim to Be A Zero.

We Discuss:

Waiting room medicine has become the norm. It's not ideal. So what do you do about it?
The power of placing small bets
Stoicism and the philosophy behind locus of control
Some things in the world are up to us; others are not
Sextus, "The crowd is irrelevant."
What is the locus of control?
Shades of gray in the locus of control
The Stoic approach to patient complaints
Taming the blame ogre
Domains of control and the paradox of varied strength
The Stoic approach to patient complaints
How a mishandled aspirin overdose led to a major recalibration of control locus
A tactical approach to developing an internal locus of control
The 'Good' reframe
The five slices of gift exercise
The jar of awesome
Power of an end-of-day debrief
Trait vs. state of gratitude
Not every approach is for everybody
Book recommendations for operationalizing an internal...

Are You Betting On Yourself? | How locus of control makes all the difference

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