In the current economic climate it is easy to lapse into the trap of becoming a victim of circumstances. We can end up blaming, justifying, rationalising or complaining to find a way to explain the situation we find ourselves in. Although our problems faced are very real to us, only through taking responsibility for our situation and ourselves will we move from being “out of control” to taking ultimate responsibility.  Our level of success really is the result of our ability to choose and then take action. 

There are a number of schools of thought in Psychology that will lead us to believe that our behaviour is strongly determined by factors that seem to be out of our control – our genes, our upbringing, other people and the situation we find ourselves in.  However our power to choose is our greatest strength and gives us the opportunity to direct our lives. 

One reason for Psychology’s traditional disregard of the notion of free will, is because it is incompatible with its more deterministic scientific orientation.  It is believed to be more appropriate to follow a traditional stimulus response model.

However, we are not simply stimulus response beings. We have some power to choose our response. In Steve Covey’s book the 8th Habit, he speaks of the space that lies between a stimulus and a response. It is in that space that lies our freedom to choose our response. The size of the space is determined by the factors mentioned previously – our genes, our upbringing, other people and the situation we find ourselves in. But the size of that space can be increased by building our power to choose our response to any situation and then acting in accordance with this. 

Actions not only take us closer to where we want to be, but being in action also makes us feel stronger about ourselves. Taking responsibility for what is going on around us is key to this.

Which side of the equation do you currently truly believe you are on in the key areas of your business and life?

CAUSE ==> EFFECT

If you find yourself often complaining about certain areas, your are on the EFFECT side of the equation.

If you are seeking to blame other people and circumstances for what is happening to you, you are on the EFFECT side of the equation.

If you are seeking to justify or rationalise a situation you find yourself in by making excuses, you are on the EFFECT side of the equation.

Only by making every attempt to take responsibility and act based on this, will you truly find yourself on the CAUSE side of this equation. You will build the space between the normal response to those unquestioned triggers and develop your power to choose.

Here is a tip for you:

Think about 3 areas of you life or business where you are currently on the EFFECT side of the equation.

 

1. —————————————————————————————————

 

2. —————————————————————————————————

 

3. —————————————————————————————————

 

What actions can you take from now to move yourself to the CAUSE side of the equation?

 

1. —————————————————————————————————

 

2. —————————————————————————————————

 

3. —————————————————————————————————

 

Keep employing this tactic, because the degree to which you accept ultimate responsibility for what is currently going on in your life or business strongly influences your ultimate success.