MOTIVATION – Accepting Responsibility

MOTIVATION – Accepting Responsibility


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – August 2009

Les Brown says “Accept responsibility for your life.  Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go – no one else.”

Man, oh man – I love this.  You can’t even begin to understand how I so relate to this?

I am so sick and tired of hearing stuff like “He made me do it” or “I didn’t have a choice” or even “It was the voices in my head – they made me do it.”

What a load of BS!

What is it about the world today that no-one wants to take responsibility for their own actions?

We have become a generation of individuals who hide our inadequacies behind the backs of any scapegoat that we find along the way.

I am often left completely speechless by the lengths that people go to in an attempt to escape their accountability.

Why is this?  Is it because we are afraid of what the consequences are?  Is it because we are afraid of what the consequences will do to our precious credibility or is it perhaps that we are cowards and that it is easier to follow the path of many of our leaders and politicians?  It is easier to place all the blame on others or to make excuses than it is to stand up and admit our faults, like the person caught speeding who blames the traffic police for catching him, rather than himself for breaking the speed limit.

Perhaps it is really time to go back to the basics.  Go back to the time that when a person gave their word, it was their bond, when deals were struck on the strength of a hand shake.

Perhaps it is really time to go back to when people had morals and values and when the “What’s in it for me” took into account everybody who had contributed.

Perhaps it is really time to go back to when people took responsibility for their actions and/or inactions and accepted the consequences by being accountable.

Perhaps . . .  yes, perhaps!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za