The term ‘personal responsibility” makes many people feel like bearing a heavy load on their shoulders that they don’t want to bear. It makes them think that the freedom of childhood has gone, and now they need to face the problems that adulthood brings.
Children cannot be responsible because they can’t grasp the meaning of consequence and accountability.
In the past, people usually didn’t have a problem accepting the concept of personal responsibility. Those who refused to be responsible for their actions were considered cowards or fools that crave a child’s life free of accountability. Today, responsibility is avoided in favor of self-gratification.
Some parents think their children are not responsible if they don’t live the life they think they should. But is it your responsibility to do the things that others expected you to do? The truth is that you are not irresponsible because you have the right to choose a different lifestyle. We are expected to take many actions that we’ve never wanted to, nor agreed to.
This is called submission or compliance with other people’s desires and expectations, not responsibility. When you don’t bow down to their ideas, you are considered irresponsible.
Let’s see why it is very important for you to have personal accountability.
1. Keeping your word means you are a reliable person
Are you a person that others can trust? Do you strive to keep your words and promises? If yes, then you have integrity, and others consider you trustworthy.
On the other side, if you constantly break your promises, and you just say whatever you need to say at the moment to solve a problem or get what you wanted, you are not a reliable person.
Trust is a very rare thing today. Most people think that breaking their word is not something serious. For example, your partner breaks a promise to someone, and they say that although they broke their promise to others, they would never break their word to you. This is not true. You are either trustworthy or not.
2. Personal responsibility means that you are true to yourself
When you finish something you have started, it gives you a great sense of pleasure. After this, you will start to have higher expectations of your capabilities and performance.
After a while, others will begin noticing this change in you. Many people will probably envy you, especially those who are not motivated to improve themselves. Others will encourage you and respect you. Regardless of other people’s opinions, you need to stay loyal to your dreams and keep your word to yourself.
3. Personal accountability helps you grow
Do you know someone who always blames others for everything bad that happens to them? These people never admit their fault.
Do you respect them? How much respect do you think they have for themselves?
Those who blame others for their own bad decisions never grow. Failure teaches us vital life lessons. We can learn from our mistakes only when we accept them. So, if we find in similar circumstances in the future, we will probably make better choices.
People who refuse to take personal responsibility never learn from their experiences. Their life is like an endless cycle, then they wake up one morning, look around, and regret not having achieved anything. Then, they feel angry and bitter at the world, when in fact, they are the only person that has ever let them down.
Personal responsibility is not a cage that traps you. It is actually a great pleasure and privilege of being an adult.
