Often the difference between success and failure is one word…
Responsibility
Taking responsibility for your own, whether it is personal or business, life is the simplest method to change the results you are getting. We all know the people who like to blame everyone, except themselves, for the state that their life is in; the government, the economy, the weather, their family, their employees, the state of the world, global warming, etc, etc, etc. The key is – when you blame other people or other things you are passing over control of your life to them. Now, I do understand that some people will be arguing with me about circumstances beyond their control and I get that.
Changing your results is simple, but not always easy. Here are 3 steps you can take which will help to improve your life immediately.
1. Understand That You Have Control
First of all, you are not Sooty, Orville, Ahmed the Dead Terrorist or any other ventriloquists puppet. You are a human being and like Victor Frankl explains in ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ we are different to every other creature on the planet because we have the ability to choose our response to any given situation.
Obviously, we cannot always choose the situations we find ourselves in, but we can choose our response to that situation; i.e. how do we react. Jack Canfield in the ‘Success Principles’ explains it as “Event + Response = Outcome” We control the response which will affect the outcome.
To improve today – Choose Your Response and you will get one of two things – good things or a lesson.
2. Stop The Negative Responses
By negative responses I mean blame, excuses and blindness all of which pass over control of your life to others and let’s be honest – why would you trust your life to someone else? They only have their own best interests at heart. I’ve already explained blame so what do I mean by excuses and blindness?
Excuses – These are the stories you tell yourself and others to justify your results and situation. Be honest with everyone, including yourself, to find options and solutions to what is holding you back.
Blindness – Sometimes it is turning a blind eye and burying your head in the sand to avoid dealing with something. Remember when you stick your head in the sand, your butt is sticking up in the air and you cannot anticipate what will happen next. The other side of blindness are the things that you do not know or cannot see. Mentors, coaches and mastermind partners who will help you to question what you are doing often removes the barriers and the blindfold.
To improve today – Stop responding with why is this happening and turn it round to – What do I need to do about…..
3. Admit When You Are Wrong
Really, really simple – we are all human beings and we make mistakes, just understand what the mistake you made is and put the systems in place to never repeat it. When it is appropriate you obviously apologise and explain the mistake you made and how you will not be repeating it. The definition of insanity is ‘Doing the same things and expecting different results’ – are you insane or just learning?
To improve today – make mistakes without beating yourself up because you know that this is a key part of the learning process, apologise when necessary and put it right. After all, isn’t that what we teach our kids??????
Good things and success happen because we take take consistent positive actions and learn from the things that do not go our way. NOT from sitting around having a pity party with anyone willing to join us blaming the world and his wife.
The most important thing you can do for yourself after reading this is CHOOSE – which way do you want the rest of your life to go?
Responsibility means you get to choose and improve how you run your business, to find out how Brian can help you with us, get in touch today.
