The Concept of Responsibility; You can’t afford to pass the blame
If you ask around, almost everyone has someone to blame for the troubles they are facing or have faced. Only very few would agree they were the architect of their own troubles. Do you know why? It is because, it is easier to blame others for our problems than take responsibility. It makes it more comfortable telling the story; you playing the victim and getting someone to take the fall and play the villain, while you get sympathy from others. Also it makes sleeping at night less scary.
But is that the way out of those problems? No! Playing the victim would only get you sympathy and nothing else.
On the other hand, imagine owning your problems, you become restless and relentless, you find it difficult to sleep, your head keeps pounding in search of solutions, you practically want to fix it as soon as possible. You are not saying I couldn’t get a job because government won’t provide jobs, you step up and create your own business; you are not saying i failed because my lecturers are mean, you read to stupor if that’s what it takes; you are not saying I am broke because I have too much expenses, you create streams of income to cater for all your expenses… And that my friend, has been the way for those who are hell bent on changing their stories for the best.
I believe, it is almost impossible to learn, grow and progress without understanding the concept of responsibility. What do I mean by concept of responsibility? Basically there are 8 of them and I will try to be brief in explaining what each means and what it implies with regards to taking responsibility.
Concept of Responsibility
1. Taking control
Being responsible means you are taking control of your life. You understand, you will be responsible for your choices and their consequences. You will be held accountable by consequences of your actions. So no one pushes you around, those choices must be yours and win or lose, you also take credit. Simply put own your sh!t.
2. Moral commitment
You must set goals for yourself, things to achieve with time frame. It is easy to set goals and just go to sleep but when you have time frame, you will understand going to sleep isn’t an option. Know this, in achieving your goals, your race is not with friends or cousins, your race is with time. The backbone of achieving lifechanging goals is to be committed to those goals. Due to lack of commitment, many keep jumping professions, once they meet slight obstacle, they jump to another one. There would always be obstacles, but whatever you are committed to, you will always find a way round those obstacles.
3. Obligation
Being responsible means you have obligations to fulfill, first to yourself to succeed or accomblish whatever task or goal you set and second to your dependants. Know this, good or bad, you feel it first. When you succeed, you enjoy the most and when you fail you feel the heat the most, so your number one obligation is to yourself.
4. Task fulfillment
To achieve a goal, you would have to fulfill a number tasks. You don’t just say my goal is to be rich and boom! you become rich. You have different tasks en route being rich like setting up streams of income, reaching out to customers, going for training etc. Being responsible requires you to fulfill those tasks that would lead you to your goal(s).
5. It cannot be delegated
Life’s responsibilities cannot be delegated, it is as simple as that. Delegating your responsibility is like trying to shift the blame or glory. It is your life, it should be you at the forefront. You can have a mentor, hire a coach or get a partner but when it comes to decision making, it has to be you.
6. Exercise authority
It is said that life is like a mirror, when you smile at it, it smiles back at you. You must be intentional about what you want. Life and people will try to sway you at different turns. You love a tall man, people tell you just take what you see, you like a job in the bank people tell you take whatever comes meanwhile 2 or 3 years down the line your life is already boring because you didn’t exercise your authority over your life’s decisions. It is your life, use the word NO when you are offered what is not in your plans and stand your ground when it comes to what you want.
7. Be an example
Many of us know what life should be about, we know the ideals but then we most times compromise on what we know and believe. Be an example of what you desire. You know it takes hard work to get things done and you tell others that but in your corner you are very lazy, you find it hard to lift a finger to change your own life, you compromise on everything you know, that’s not how it is done. You must be an example of what you know is right.
8. Goal driven
Be goal driven and result oriented. No one really cares about your intentions what count most is what you are able to achieve. Almost doesn’t count! Have this at the back of your mind at all times. Even when people say you take life too serious, don’t let it bother you, soon the difference will be clear.
You are accoutable. As soothing as getting someone to take the blame for you is, it has gotten no one closer to success. You have the power to change your own story, don’t pass on that power, don’t transfer it, don’t lease it out, rather sieze it and make it count. You are responsible for your own HAPPINESS.
If you have anything to share, talk about or any question about this article or others, or you need someone to talk to, contact me via Email at selahsgroup@gmail.com.
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