Internal vs. External Factors

In order to define your self-concept and how it came to be, you need to understand two major sets of factors that help shape who you are:

External Factors: You can trace who you've become in this life back to 10 defining moments, seven critical choices and five pivotal people. You cannot change these moments, choices and people, but once acknowledged, you can begin to work on changing your future.

Internal Factors: Unlike the external factors that we have no control over, our internal factors are made up of our own reactions to the events in our life. Since these reactions happen within us, we have the power to change them.

Identifying these factors along with the effects that they have had on your self-concept will allow you to deal with them in the here and now. By doing this you will be able to take your power back, stop being a passenger in your life, and start driving.

Continue uncovering your authentic self with the complete exercises found in Self Matters.

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