Personal responsibility is to take ownership of how your choices influence the outcomes in your life, learn from those outcomes and take the initiative to improve each outcome through better choices.
Success never comes to your side without you putting in the effort. Nothing will come to you if you do nothing. We all want a successful life, but many of us are not willing to accept the responsibility that comes with success.
If you want success, you must be willing to take the responsibility that comes with that success you seek. The bigger the success you want, the bigger the responsibility that comes with it. Be willing to take that responsibility, if not, no success at all. Success is responsibility.
You are responsible for your life. This is the fundamental principle you must embrace if you plan for success in your life. For many people, everything is someone else’s fault.
People who take complete responsibility for their lives experience joy and control of circumstances. They can make choices because they understand they are responsible for their choices.
Jack Canfield says: “If you want to be successful, you have to take 100% responsibility for everything that you experience in your life. This includes the level of your achievements, the results you produce, the quality of your relationships, the state of your health and physical fitness, your income, your debts, your feelings—everything! This is not easy.”
In fact, most of us have been conditioned to blame something outside of ourselves for the parts of our life we don’t like. We blame our parents, our bosses, our friends, our co-workers, our clients, our spouse, the weather, the economy, our lack of money—anyone or anything we can pin the blame on. We never want to look at where the real problem is—ourselves.
What does the Bible say about responsibility?
Ezra 10:4 (ESV) Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.
Galatians 6:5 (ESV) For each will have to bear his own load.
Romans 5:4 (ESV) and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (ESV) For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
At times, people try to avoid personal responsibility, usually through blame-shifting. Adam tried to blame Eve for his sin. Cain tried to escape from his responsibility.
Genesis 4:9 (ESV) Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
Pilate attempted to absolve his guilt in the crucifixion of Christ, Matthew 27:24b (NIV) “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
God expects us to take responsibility for our actions instead of refusing to take responsibility and blaming others for our mistakes.
Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
A responsible person is one who is accountable, can be counted on, is trustworthy, upholds his or her word, and is reliable.