Provided are a mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal in which various operations performed by the mobile terminal can be controlled based on a vibration-indicator image representing the intensity, pattern and frequency of vibration generated by the mobile terminal. Therefore, it is possible for a user to identify the vibration generated by the mobile terminal not only with his or her sense of touch but also with his or her sense of touch. In addition, it is possible to display a vibration-indicator image representing vibration generated upon the detection of an entity near and approaching the mobile terminal and change the vibration-indicator image according to the distance between the entity and the mobile terminal. Thus, it is possible to easily determine the state of the entity.