Accept Responsibility

The second pillar to success, Accept Responsibility.

Merriam Webster defines responsibility as the quality or state of being responsible such as moral, legal or mental accountability, trustworthiness, something for which one is responsible.

Starting with that definition, we can assume that to accept responsibility is to conduct oneself morally and legally and to be trustworthy and accountable.  I contend this is the second thing we must do if we want to be successful.  

To accept responsibility is to stop pointing fingers and relying on others.  We need to come to terms with the fact that everything that happens to us, outside of accidents, etc., is in some way caused, affected, or influenced by us.  We must accept the good and the bad consequences of our choices.  And if there is a problem, we need to find an appropriate solution and fix it. 

So what does the above look like?  It means that if we want a promotion, we need to find out what it takes to get to the next level and then do those things to the best of our ability.  We should never wait for our boss or the company we work for to tell us our career path, to tell us our choices, or to tell us how good we are.  Or if you get caught breaking the law, it is not the policeman’s fault you got caught, it is yours for making a bad choice. 

My high school football coach used to assign jobs for our roles, mine on defense was the middle linebacker.  My job was to own the middle of the field regardless of what anyone else did and regardless of any circumstances; my sole job was to own the middle and keep the other team out of it. I had to find a way, and it was up to me alone.  The middle of the field was my life.  Own your life because no one else will.

Tomorrow, I'll share the next pillar, Lead Courageously.