“The best day of your life is the day that you decide that your life is your own… No one to lean on, rely on, or to blame.” We as humans have many similarities with animals—especially monkeys and baboons, which is a scary thought! 😊 But we have one thing that clearly separates us: our cognitive ability to think and reason rather than just to feel. This is the game changer.
Despite this amazing gift of being able to make our own decisions, we as humans often play the blame game or make excuses regarding our circumstances and the wrong decisions we have made.
Ownership vs. The Blame Game
I have made some really crappy decisions in my life, and I have paid the price every single time. It is normal for us as humans to make mistakes, and mistakes happen when we make the wrong choices. They say you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. I think the older you get, the more you realise how bad decisions negatively influence your life.
So, this isn’t about me confessing all my bad decisions, but more about what you do when you have made one. The easiest thing is to blame something or someone else. “Oh, I was under peer pressure, so I decided to take drugs.” “I come from a poor family, so my only choice was to be homeless.” “My rich parents neglected me, so I became an alcoholic.” These are not attacks on any specific group; they are just examples.
The Power of One Decision
The reality is that every single person on this earth can find an excuse if they really want to. We can all blame our parents, siblings, or friends, but in the end, it comes down to choice. We can blame the government, the economy, or world politics, but one decision can change your whole career, your friendships, your marriage, and ultimately, your whole life.
You will often find that bad decisions lead to more bad decisions that make no sense when you are standing on the outside. Wonderfully talented and beautiful people with good hearts start making decisions that destroy their lives because they don’t take ownership; they blame their circumstances, family, or history instead.
Taking Responsibility in February
There are a few rare occasions where we actually make the right decisions but things just don’t work out—but they are very rare. As we move into February, let’s prepare to take full responsibility for the decisions we make on a daily basis.
If you are working ridiculous hours and you are not getting to your training, then don’t blame your working hours. You have a choice to get up earlier and make time for training, as it is crucial for your mental health. If you don’t make time for training and for your family, then you will never have time. #noexcusesFebruary
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to get in touch with me about my key note presentation, Debunking Motivation, please send an email to corne@cornekrige.com. Visit my website to review my speaker sheet for more info. I also share my story on my social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.