High agency: how to feel more in control in your life and work

Personal agency, or self-agency, describes the experiences we have when we set goals for ourselves and take action to achieve them.

• People with high agency feel a sense of control over their lives, and they can make decisions about what they want or need and act to meet those needs.
• People with low agency may feel like something outside their control, such as luck or fate, is shaping their path. If someone has low agency, they may feel powerless to change the direction of their lives. And powerlessness is a very uncomfortable feeling for most of us.

• Intentionality assumes that humans are making conscious choices to improve their lives. 
• Power means that a person has the resources, capabilities, and knowledge to act on their goals.
• Rationality: We can understand the circumstances of their situations and keep track of the outcomes of their actions.
• Forethought: our ability to choose the right actions to achieve their goals and anticipate the outcomes of their actions.
• Self-regulation: our capacity to monitor their emotions, behaviors, and motivations as they act upon their goals. 
• Self-efficacy: a person’s belief in their ability to succeed.