Million Dollar Habits – Page 299
Leaders accept responsibility. Followers do not. Leaders refuse to make excuses
while followers hide behind them. Leaders see themselves as the
primary creative
forces
in their own lives. Followers see themselves as victims, and spend much of
their energies rationalizing, justifying and explaining
away their failure to make
progress. The acceptance of complete responsibility is as essential to leadership as
is courage.
Emerson once wrote that you could measure the size of a person by looking at the
size of the responsibilities that he or she is willing to take on. There is a direct
relationship between responsibility and a sense of control.
The more responsibility
you accept, the greater control you take over the various aspects of your life. When
you accept total responsibility, you feel completely in control of yourself and
everything that is happening around you.
Take Charge of Your Emotions
Make it a habit to continually
repeat to yourself the words,
“I am responsible!”
Whenever you feel angry or frustrated about some person or situation, immediately
cancel this thought and feeling by saying
“I am responsible!”
Emotionally, it is impossible to accept responsibility and to remain angry. When
you
accept responsibility, you relax and your mind clears. You become more
focused and effective. When you take complete responsibility, like putting both
hands
on the wheel of your own life, you feel in charge. You feel like a master of
your own destiny. The habit of taking responsibility unlocks your mental powers
