In 2019 I became a Canfield certified trainer of The Success Principles – because this book by Jack Canfield changed my life. Since being introduced to the book in 2017, I’ve been learning AND LIVING these principles, which have helped me on my success journey to get from where I am to where I want to be. I’ll share these principles and stories of my journey in blog posts over the coming months. This first principle is the foundation and incredibly important upon which to build your success.
Principle 1: Take 100% Responsibility For Your Life
Some people may feel entitled to a life filled with happiness, a great job, wonderful friends and family and the ability to do whatever, whenever…but the truth is that you and only YOU are responsible for the quality of your life. To be successful, you must take 100% responsibility for the good and not so good things that happen in all areas of your life: career, relationships, health and fitness, finances, personal development, fun and recreation and legacy. We have a tendency to blame others for things not going the way we’d planned. We can’t look outside ourselves to discover why we didn’t achieve results. When you take 100% responsibility for your life, you understand and acknowledge that you create and cause your experiences – and you must fully accept that you and only you got you where you are today.
No More Excuses
Do you recall making excuses WHY you can’t or won’t do something? I know I have. When you choose to take 100% responsibility, you give up making excuses because you recognize that you have both choice and power to decide and take action on your success journey. Don’t look back; leave the past behind. From today forward, whenever you start to make an excuse, STOP.
Event + Response = Outcome
(E + R = O)
This formula reinforces the idea of taking 100% responsibility for your life. The outcomes you experience are caused by your response to an event or events in your life. Simple outcome examples include success/failure; wealth/poverty; health/illness; intimacy/estrangement; joy/frustration. If you don’t like the outcome, change your response. Your life today is a direct result of how you responded to a previous event (a choice you made). We have control over the thoughts we think, the images we visualize and the actions we take. Make sure these thoughts, images and actions are aligned with our purpose, values and goals. Positively affecting outcomes in your life requires you to make changes.
No More Blaming
I’m not the only one who has blamed something outside myself for my life not being the way I want it. We blame people or things – the government, the economy, the weather, significant others, parents, kids, friends, bosses, coworkers. Becoming successful requires you give up blaming anyone or anything other than yourself for your situation. You made – or didn’t make – the choice. You took – or didn’t take – the action.
No More Complaining
When you complain, you believe something better is possible – but you must be willing to take the risk to get it. Some people are unwilling to step out of their comfort zone and risk embarrassment, possible failure, disapproval, or being wrong. You may complain to people who aren’t able to help you because it’s less risky. Successful people make requests and take action to achieve desired outcomes instead of complaining. If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation, work to improve it or leave it. To get from where you are to where you want to be, you must be willing to take risks.
Create or Allow
You create everything that happens to you OR you allow everything that happens to you. You create or cause things to happen to you when you act or don’t act. You allow things to happen to you because of unwillingness or failure to say/do something.
Yellow Alerts
Think of a yellow alert as an advance warning that enables you to think or act differently – or change your response – to affect your outcome. Yellow alerts can be internal such as your intuition or gut feeling. Receiving proof of someone’s dishonesty is an external yellow alert. Have you ever ignored a yellow alert? Perhaps it required you to take action – to take a risk – that you weren’t comfortable taking. You may think it’s just easier to maintain the status quo. To be truly successful, you need to step out of your comfort zone to create your desired results and outcomes. Your life becomes easier when you respond promptly and decisively to alerts and events. Your outcomes will improve dramatically.
Implementing this principle requires you to be aware, disciplined and willing to take risks. Regularly assess your results – are you producing what you intended? You’ve heard the saying “results don’t lie.” Regularly ask for feedback from trusted sources and use this valuable information to make any necessary changes to positively impact your results.
If you aren’t already, I challenge you to start taking 100% responsibility for your life – in ALL areas of your life today. I challenge you to stop blaming, complaining and making excuses (this one is harder than it sounds)! Pick ONE area of your life and do a quick audit. Some suggestions for the health and fitness area: STOP eating out as much; STOP eating unhealthy, processed foods; START eating more vegetables and drinking more water; START working out several times each week.
Share how you’ve started taking 100% responsibility for your life (how about one thing you plan to START or STOP doing) in the comments below!
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I had been letting this pandemic be an excuse to not eat as healthfully and drink a little extra. But then my weight started creeping back up, so it’s definitely time to stop using this as an excuse and get back to it!
Thanks, Anna for sharing this! Several of my friends have mentioned a few extra “pandemic pounds” so you are not alone! Taking responsibility and ACTION are terrific! Great job!