Taking control of the decisions you make can lead to great things in the long run.
Personal accountability is becoming outdated, or so it appears at times. The fact is that a lot of people still know what these words mean and they know how to apply them in their everyday life. But those that don’t apply these words to their lives are easy to spot since they end up making a lot of people look bad when they start gaining followers and make it clear that taking responsibility for the things we do, say, and even think, is no longer important. It would be too simple to go on a rant that would explain, in detail, why this is such a harmful act and why it can eventually destabilize a society and even an entire civilization, but the better option is to make people understand that if we refuse to be accountable for the things we do or say, then nothing we say or do will matter. Why should it? If you don’t care about the results of your actions, then why would anyone else care about what happens to you when they behave the same way?
Here are ten reasons why personal accountability is necessary.
10. Your self-confidence is vital to your development
What grows quicker, a plant that’s constantly battered and hampered by continual attempts to keep it down, or a plant that is able to meet each challenge and find a way around it? A person’s development is heavily dependent on whether or not they can take responsibility for their actions, their words, and the results that they influence. Your self-confidence grows when you fess up for your own decisions since people tend to respect you more when you display the ability to live your life without excuses and without the need to blame anything or anyone else for any challenges you might face.
9. Maintaining your focus is essential to accomplish your goals
Focusing on your goals is important since not only does it affect how you move forward, but it’s the best way to avoid coming up with excuses that can be used to describe why you haven’t met a deadline or were late to a meeting, or are far behind in your work. Those who exercise personal responsibility will work around challenges and admit when they’re bogged down and might need help. Personal failings aren’t a sin after all, and as human beings, we can only do so much. But it is wise to admit when you’re over your head since this is another way to hold yourself accountable and responsible.
8. Your ego can cause a lot of trouble
A little bit of ego can go a long way when it comes to life, since the more ego a person has, the more some folks have a tendency to misuse it. This might not always be the case, but when one has a big head, as the saying goes, they tend to think that whatever they do is beyond fault and any error that occurs must have something to do with someone else. Despite being a generalization, ego can be a huge problem when it comes to taking responsibility for the good AND the bad decisions made in life.
7. Tough decisions require a responsible person
How many tough decisions have you had to make in your life? How much responsibility has it required? Like it or not, responsible people know how to make decisions that will bring the greatest benefit to those involved. Those with little to no accountability tend to think of themselves far too often when making big decisions. Taking responsibility means thinking of everyone, no matter how difficult a decision it might be.
6. Learning from your mistakes is necessary
By taking accountability you take the blame, the credit, whatever. Some of the greatest people in history have decided to stand up when the going got rough. Not shying away from one’s responsibility, even when it’s bound to lead to consequences, is called integrity.
5. There’s more support for those who take responsibility
Now that we’re leaning into the more positive aspects of responsibility, here’s the rub: people will take you seriously when they learn that you’re a person who says what they mean and does what they say they will. It’s very easy to get behind someone that can talk the talk and WILL walk the walk.
4. Keeping your word builds trust
It’s tough to trust people that say many things but only keep their word when it comes to a few. Those who do what they say can usually be trusted, and in doing so, that trust will grow and become a bond between people that indicates who can be depended on, and who can’t.
3. Bad decisions lead to a slippery slope
Many people have said this throughout history, but the truth is that making one bad decision isn’t a big deal. You can recover from one, or a few bad decisions. But when one continues to make them without regard for what they’re doing, and without learning what works and what doesn’t, then they’ve lost all credibility, especially if they don’t take responsibility for those decisions.
2. Consistency is key in life
Once you learn how to take accountability it’s important to keep doing it, since creating the habit of establishing personal responsibility is tough, but it’s possible. In fact, at some point, people might find it’s tougher to tell a lie and live with themselves than, to tell the truth, and deal with the fallout then and there. True, telling a lie now and then for various reasons might help, but in the end, honesty and accountability tend to produce the best outcomes.
1. Leading by example creates a standard for others to follow
Let’s be honest here and say that a lot of people don’t want to hear ‘why can’t you be like that person?’ since it’s kind of a downer. But at the same time, it’s smart to think that if you can inspire others to take responsibility for their actions, the world could end up being a much more efficient and even better place. It’s a dream, but it’s possible on a smaller scale.
WTR? (Why’s That Radass?)
There is a reason why personal accountability is important, in fact, there are many of them. One of the most important is that taking responsibility for everything you do or say is vital to your growth, your development, and allows other people to realize that they can trust you. Without trust, you’re kind of on your own. Take responsibility for your own life, it’s worth it.
