Winston Churchill once said; “If you take responsibility for yourself, you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams.“
I think that’s so true.
In your quest to become better, it is necessary to regularly review your progress as you drive towards the achievement of your goals and dreams. Though you may miss a few steps from time to time, be assured this is part of the growing process. One thing you must do is to embrace it as a learning curve and do what is necessary to reach the next phase of your life.
When you avoid owning up to certain lifestyle choices, you are not being true to yourself. Steering your life’s course – with its ups and downs – can sometimes be overwhelming. However, staying in control may just come down to how you take full responsibility for your life.
Let’s talk about TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.
What does it mean?
It means taking full ownership of whatever the reality of your life is today. I always tell my son: “You are 100% responsible for the outcomes of your life.” This simply means that the buck of your life stops at your table. Do not go looking for someone to blame if things go sideways for you – just as you should gladly receive commendation that comes your way when your efforts yield positive outcomes. The first person responsible is YOU!
Many people go through life regretting lost opportunities or missed chances. The realities of life – whether they be socio-economic disadvantage, health issues, or the death of a parent – can be hard to grapple with. It is very easy to point to these unfortunate circumstances as the reason why you have not achieved your goals. But here’s one of the best-kept secrets: the moment you realize you are responsible for the outcomes of your life, you will no longer be a victim of circumstance. Now is the moment to change the rules of engagement, take responsibility and make the best of your life.
So, how do you take responsibility for your life? Here are three things to do:
- You need to evaluate yourself today and accept the present realities of your life. Do you like it? Fantastic! You don’t like it? It’s okay. But that’s your current reality. Accepting it and taking full ownership is half the job done. Like all good chess players, when you self-critique, it is easier to know what the next move is.
- You need to come up with a plan. A plan to move forward. Are you unhappy where you are now? You need a plan. Happy where you are now but want to get better? You’ll need a plan, too. A plan is simply a vision of what you want to do and how you want to accomplish it. Of course, even the best-laid plans do fail from time to time, but having one, to begin with, helps.
- The next and possibly the most important thing to do is to start working on that plan immediately. We have a tendency to procrastinate and push things forward but don’t do that. The saying, “Never put till tomorrow what you can do today” always rings true. Maybe changing your career, starting a family of your own, going back to school and getting that degree or making peace with your ex-best friend cannot wait any longer. Put things in motion, today!
Always remember, you have only one life to live; please, MAKE IT COUNT!
Also, click below to listen: 90SecondsWithFBO podcast on Taking Responsibility.
https://soundcloud.com/90secwithfbo/90secwithfbo-podcast-taking-responsibility
