PERSONAl RESPONSIBIlITY IS ThE FOUNdATION OF SUccESSbalance between competing areas of your life which will maximize your
happiness and success. If we really think it through our relationships are
probably at least as important as our careers. If we act in self-interest
we will take care of both, as well as any other important areas, such as
volunteering or service. Putting yourself first increases your productiv-
ity and accountability to others. It forces open communication as you let
those close to you know why you make the choices you do – resulting in
improved relationships. Putting yourself first, being self-caring but not
selfish, is the first step on the journey to personal responsibility.
AlIgn WIth YoUR vAlUesAligning with your values is essentially putting yourself first on a moral
plane. To start, it will be far easier if you are very clear about your val-
ues. If you identify your top five values and stay in alignment with those
you will find that you are in alignment with your values over 95% of the
time. Values serve as our moral compass for our decisions and our ac-
tions. Making decisions and taking actions in alignment with our values
causes congruence between our morals and our behaviors. This reduces
stress and conflict and increases our performance. It can be challenging
to be in alignment in some environments. Challenging, but not impos-
sible. For many people, their work environment causes the greatest dif-
ficulty. It helps to remember that personal responsibility is about your
behavior, not the behavior of others. The behavior of others is not your
business unless it impacts you directly. One question I am frequently
asked is what to do if you’re asked to lie at work. My first question
back is to ask if that is in alignment with your values. This is not to be
smart, but to clarify consciously that it is not in alignment. This makes
the decision about how to handle the problem easier. There is not one
set answer, it depends on the circumstances. I once had a manager asked
me to lie to a customer. I told him that I could not do that. I did not get
fired, but immediately began seeking other employment. The choice I
made was to not be in an environment where I had to choose my values
or employment. I was perfectly willing to lose the job, my integrity was
more important.
ChAllenge YoUR PRogRAMMIngMuch of what we know and believe does not belong to us, it is our pro-
gramming. We were programmed by our parents, by our teachers, and
by others we believed. Not only were they not always right, but also