Can responsibility ensure greatness in our lives? We are held responsible from a young age to ensure we provide results. From being held responsible to do our homework, then when we grow up we are held responsible to be on time at work, it has been part of our daily lives without us realising.
Bearing this in mind, when did you last hold yourself responsible for your life? We can get back into the habit of using responsibility in our everyday lives to ensure that we reach a high level of greatness.
Here are 4 ways responsibility can lead you to greatness:
1. Be responsible for your own actions
Whatever action we take, we must take responsibility if we want to reach greatness. If it doesn’t go your way then don’t blame anyone else, or outside forces, take 100% responsibility for everything you do in life.
Get obsessive with it, if you’re late for work when you’d normally blame the traffic, realise that if you’d have left 5 minutes earlier you’d have made it. This may sound harsh on yourself, but it gives you the mindset that everything happens due to your actions.
Then when the successful times roll around you know that it was your actions that got you that deal or that raise and it was never down to lady luck. These actions might mean you fail at something but get back up, brush yourself off and learn from your mistakes, don’t shift the blame.
““In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
2. Be responsible for the change you want to see
As Ghandi said “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. There are no truer words spoken. You are the one that can change the world around you, hold yourself responsible to make that change.
If you want to see more positivity in your workplace, then hold yourself responsible to be the most positive person in your office. You are holding yourself accountable to take action and you don’t want to let yourself down.
3. Be responsible for your inner voice
We all have an inner voice, this will determine your path in life. Your inner voice will bring up your doubts, fears and insecurities.
Whenever a negative thoughts arises, write it down in a notebook or in your phone. Then next to it write three reasons as to why that thought isn’t true. Use past experiences where you’ve overcome that fear, or how you can overcome that insecurity.
There is a beauty in writing your innermost thoughts down as they become measurable and more importantly manageable. If we nip every negative thought in the bud as soon as they arise, we know we are staying on the right course to greatness.
4. Hold someone else responsible for their success
Once you have mastered holding yourself responsible then you can hold other people responsible. A mentor is one of the pillars of success. Be the mentor that holds them responsible and checks up on their success. Have an email conversation every week, holding them responsible for the goals they had set the week before.
People are more driven to deliver when another party is holding them responsible. We learn so much more when we teach subjects, so teach your student how to hold himself or herself responsible and have greatness in their lives.
These four action points will give you control over the direction you want to take in life. We can make a conscious effort everyday to guide ourselves in the right direction by holding ourselves responsible.
“Leaders..should influence others..in such a way that it builds people up, encourages and edifies them so they can duplicate this attitude in others.” – Bob Goshen
To be completely honest, I just discovered this exact concept in my life.
I really was avoiding facing my own issues and having difficulties with my freelance practice, however a strong wake up call made me take responsibility for my own life and my thoughts. I started to take action that very day and in very little time I was seeing small results.
Yes, I have failed a lot of times and I still struggle with this, but I’m committed to make the change, otherwise I will never be able to really be the man I want to be.
Thanks a lot for the inspiration and pep talk!
Congratulations, that’s a big step, taking responsibility for your own actions is a huge commitment, as it is so easy to leave it up to others.
Love that I’ve given you a “pep talk” hope you go on to do great things
Chris
Love this article.
I feel guilty because sometimes I will just blame and make excuses.
Saying is easy, doing is hard.
It is challenging to be responsible for my own inner voices.
They just shoot up in my mind. I need to train and think more positively, consciously. 🙂
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for taking time to read my article.
Exactly as you’ve said “Saying is easy, doing is hard” If you can keep the inner voices at bay then you’re on the way to greatness. Remember even the most successful in the world have an inner voice but they know when to listen to it and when to overpower it with positive thoughts.
Good luck on your journey to greatness Shawn!