Dennis Waitley says: “There are two primary choices in life, to accept conditions as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them.”

Looking back on the articles that I have written on the subject of ‘accepting responsibility’ over the years, I am both surprised (at the sheer volume) and also a little saddened by it.  Saddened because I still seem to find the need to write about something that I really feel should be second nature and automatic – taking responsibility for one's actions.

Change has to happen; it is the only way that we grow and evolve, whether as individuals, as part of a team (such as a company) or even as a country – change is going to happen, accept it.  Despite the fact that so many of us resist change at every opportunity, we all accept on one level or another, that it has to happen – the Universe, the Gods (whomever you may perceive them to be) won’t let us sit and rest in our comfort zones for too long – we have to make changes and we all make them in our daily lives – yes we do; when you change lanes in order to go past another car – you’re making a change to your destiny (yip, that’s exactly what you are doing!).

Now logic must tell us that any kind of change, not matter how big or how small, will have a consequence.  Not only will it have a consequence, but it will also have ‘pros and cons’ and depending on which one outweighs the other and which one we choose we will, in effect, be accepting that particular consequence. That particular consequence will have a responsibility that someone will need to take and since you made the decision to change, the consequence and therefore the responsibility for that change is, and should be, all yours!

That makes me, (and therefore you too) a very powerful person (and I’m not talking about the power that CEO’s and world leaders – even corrupt one’s wield), I’m talking about the power to make positive (yes - and negative) changes in our own lives – changes that can improve every aspect of our lives.  Oh, I know that many folk bemoan their lot in life and bemoan the fact that they are stuck in a rut or have no choice – but I guess that that is their choice and therefore their decision and it should be their responsibility, therefore, to live like that. 

The fact of the matter is that if you want to change, you have to take responsibility for yourself and make that change.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za 

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