Lessons for Living
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Can you claim your responsibility?
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Here's an important
life principle that I found it in a quote on the Internet. It says, "A lot of growing
up takes place between 'It fell' and 'I dropped it.'" This statement is all about the importance of personal responsibility. Consider what happens if you drop and break a friend's favorite coffee cup. And, when asked, "What happened?" you say, "It fell." Your response means something like, "Don't blame me. I'm not responsible. The cup just jumped out of my hand." The claim, "It fell," reflects a lack of personal responsibility, and, if it comes easily to you, may be your typical reaction to life events. Whenever something goes wrong you may quickly announce that you're not at fault. The underlying problem with such a statement is that when you're not responsible for something you can't change it. If you're not responsible, you have no control and are at the mercy of events around you. On the other hand, answering your friend with, "I dropped it" is a claim of responsibility and... control. If "you" dropped the cup, "you" can change by learning to be more careful, so that it's less likely to happen again. Responsibility puts you in charge. Life's road to maturity is all about growing into responsibility, and it can be a long, hard journey. The next time that something goes wrong in your life, listen carefully to what you say. Is your immediate response something like "It fell" or more like "I dropped it." Pay close attention to your language, and it may tell you how far along you are on the path to maturity. Give us your feedback on this article or |
