Prompted by a couple of things I’ve read over the last while, from blogs to newspaper articles – I’ve decided to blog about accountability.
Accountability is a difficult concept for a lot of people to comprehend. With whatever misfortune may come your way, it’s oh-so easy to find a gazillion possible external forces that may have brought it about. People are phenomenally gifted at lying to themselves – but it’s only when they take responsibility for the consequences of their own behaviours that they can really move forward.
There are examples of this where ever we look – and at all levels. Governments use scapegoats to explain away all their bad decisions – the excuses range from terrorist plots, the media, conspiracies by the powers that be, or “whinging” ex-pats.
But a person doesn’t need to look that far for examples of this – it happens in all of our everyday lives. We blame supermodels for bad body images, we blame affirmative action for not having our dream jobs… Fat kids even blamed McDonalds for not having health warnings on its food!
Wake up world! You always had a choice! If you’re not living the life you think you’re worthy of, you only have yourself to blame.
The only person you will EVER be able to change in this world, is yourself. Trying to change the world while overlooking your own crippling inadequacies will help no-one.
In the process, you may have to confront some aspects of yourself that you really don’t like – but once you’re past that you’ll never look back. You will realise that you are making conscious decisions with every step you take. You will be grasping your own destiny firmly in both hands and there’s nothing more empowering than that.
Of course there are always extreme examples – and living in SA with rampant poverty and disease, sadly many people don’t have a lot of choice – but my bet is that none of these people are reading this blog right now.
I think Pearl Jam says it best:
“I know that I’ll live and I know that I’ll die… but the in between is mine. I am mine!”
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13 comments:
A stupid saying which used to irritate me but now I find so true, "Dont ever point a finger at someone else because three are pointing right back at you".
Exactly Wiggles – A lot of the time little wisdoms like that are irritating to people because of how true they are. Anytime anything ignites a strong sense of irritation, it’s because it reminds the person of something they don’t like about themselves… if that makes any sense.
Yes totally agree. That saying has taught me to embrace my own accountability.
Did youand I have a mental epiphany last night and blog along similar lines? there is a fine line between our posts, in mine I talk about choices we make and the paths we choose, and you speak of something similar. Your posting - I cannot agree with more. One of my exes was both anorexic and bulimic, after a very long time trying to help her and exlaining that it is her choice to get better I had to leave. silly example but a pertinent one.
Moze, nice work... i do agree that people need to be accountable. unfortunately the bad choices of others affects the choices we make and the path we follow.
Wiggles - Awesome. Accountability rocks.
Phlips - Your example is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. 'Victims' can be really dangerous, and they have a really difficult time moving out of the 'poor me' cycle.
Cuteness - Completely true, we don't live in a bubble and people's choices will always impact on us.
just dont embrace your own accountant. they have pens in their shirt pockets, and they could stab you in the heart. or stain your new shirt.
Urk, Indeed - embracing an accountant is truly risky business – it also tends to lead to marriage by the age of 25, the setting up of all kinds of insurance policies and most lethal of all – the re-adding up of restaurant bills with cellphone calculators.
and the possibility of weekly conjugal visits
Not to mention shopping at stores that only sell grey clothing. For the rest of your life.
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world. ~ Rabbi Israel Salanter
John - Exactly. Brilliant quote.
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