Carpenter’s approach makes sense in the context of what’s known as locus of control theory, a subfield of personality psychology that argues that motivation is closely connected to whether people feel like they have control over their ultimate success in an endeavor. When you have a say in what you’re doing (placing the locus of control toward the internal end of the spectrum), you’re much more motivated than when you feel like your actions are largely controlled by outside forces (placing the locus of control toward the external end).
