One of the biggest mistakes people make when reaching for their goals is failing to take full responsibility all the time, no matter what happens.
Maybe your team lost the big game … or you didn't get that big promotion you wanted …
What's the most common reaction? Excuses and blame:
"Our weakest player held us back!"
"The ref made the wrong call!"
"The competition had more time to prepare!"
"My coworker was talking trash about me!"
It's a human reaction. When we strive for big things and fail, it's easier to assume that the circumstances are to blame, not us. It's much harder to admit that WE are at fault, because it feels like acknowledging a weakness or a mistake. But that's what taking full responsibility is all about. And it's what you NEED to do – in every aspect of your life if you truly want to hit your goals.
You need to own it
Here's the problem with passing the blame: that is your weakness. Blaming other people and things assumes that you are powerless and have no control over your life.
So failing to take full responsibility is like saying that everyone else is deciding your life for you, and that there's nothing you can do to change. You're just a leaf blowing in the wind.
Even worse, you make yourself out to be the victim – and that is an extremely toxic mindset. Once you start believing you're not at fault, it becomes even harder to take responsibility for anything.
Instead, you need to flip this mindset on its head. When problems pop up, or things don't go your way, you need to own it. By accepting full responsibility for what happened, you maintain the power to adapt, learn and make things better.
How to take full responsibility
There are two ways to think about taking full responsibility:
Accepting what has already happened
Owning the current situation and what happens in the future
The hard truth is that life isn't always "fair" – but you don't get to decide what's fair or not. Taking full responsibility means fully accepting whatever happens, no matter what. Instead of pointing fingers after your team loses the game, ask yourself, "What could I have done differently?"
But that's only the first part of it. The second part is owning what happens next: how you'll respond and how you'll control the outcome next time.
See the difference? By taking full responsibility, you gain more power over your life and commit yourself to implementing positive change. That mindset is vital to reaching your goals.