Personal Responsibility
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Wonderful post on Zen Habits about taking personal responsibility. Too many people don't, or won't, see their part in whatever the situation happens to be - even if it's only in their response to it.
Whenever I come upon a situation like that, I have a vision of Judge Judy when she deals with a couple arguing over this and that. When things really start to get out of hand, she'll look at the litigant doing the complaining, shrug her shoulders, and say: "you picked 'em". And she's right. So my next thought will be, what is my part in this?
Whatever the problem, you've had a hand in it - the start, the continuation, the outcome, or your response. You always have some degree of control, even if it's only over your own actions and attitude.
But the biggest one is attitude. One of the responders disagreed with the post, arguing about others controlling situation, or about medical conditions. That's true only if you are determined that there is only one outcome, and someone else determines what it must be. You have the power to leave a job. You have the power to accept your physical limitations. You have the power to find a different path. Your "failure" is not defined by others, it is defined by you.
Do not let others be the arbiters of your personal success. Accept that a certain situation (such as a job) may never work out the way you want it to. Accept that a physical limitation need not limit your spirit. The real change you may need to make may be in your definitions.
Ask the Readers: How Can You Take More Personal Responsibility? | Zen Habits
Whenever I come upon a situation like that, I have a vision of Judge Judy when she deals with a couple arguing over this and that. When things really start to get out of hand, she'll look at the litigant doing the complaining, shrug her shoulders, and say: "you picked 'em". And she's right. So my next thought will be, what is my part in this?
Whatever the problem, you've had a hand in it - the start, the continuation, the outcome, or your response. You always have some degree of control, even if it's only over your own actions and attitude.
But the biggest one is attitude. One of the responders disagreed with the post, arguing about others controlling situation, or about medical conditions. That's true only if you are determined that there is only one outcome, and someone else determines what it must be. You have the power to leave a job. You have the power to accept your physical limitations. You have the power to find a different path. Your "failure" is not defined by others, it is defined by you.
Do not let others be the arbiters of your personal success. Accept that a certain situation (such as a job) may never work out the way you want it to. Accept that a physical limitation need not limit your spirit. The real change you may need to make may be in your definitions.
Ask the Readers: How Can You Take More Personal Responsibility? | Zen Habits
