I don’t know you, but I know one thing. If you are reading this today, you have gone through some type of setback, challenge or struggle throughout your life. Regardless of how challenging or minor these situations can be, my goal today is to show you that it is through the toughest times that we can find freedom, build character and grow beyond measure.
So, what happens when we face a fear, or a challenge meets us unexpectedly? What is it that will determine you crumbling under the pressure or rising above the occasion? The answer is found in our mindset. You see, some of us adopt what I would call a victim state mindset. When we are in this state, any challenge that faces us is auto-registered as “not our fault”. This sounds like a safe bet initially, but does this mindset really do you any good? Imagine you walk into work and your employer says to you that it is your last day. Talk about a challenge! At this moment you can either accept that it is not your fault and dwell in the realization that you have been let go, or you can accept full responsibility for what happened, learn and grow. Now, what if your mindset was so strong that instead of being a victim, you set a goal that for the next position you get you to make sure you are so valuable that they cannot afford to let you go?
Let’s call this the responsibility state mindset. This is you accepting responsibility for the unfortunate things in life and the good! Instead of playing the victim, you play the victor! This can be extremely tough, but incredibly rewarding. In the previous example if you were to take on this approach you would develop the drive and interest to become better at what you do so that you can avoid a similar situation happening again! Creating a responsibility state mindset takes time, energy and commitment. Little disciplines that are executed daily begin to shift the way you look at different experiences throughout your life.
My goal today is to inspire all of us to understand that we can take control of our circumstances by the way we think about them. When great things are happening in your life, enjoy them. Celebrate them. When tragedy comes roaring in like a storm in the night, accept full responsibility for what is happening and take the necessary steps to get the situation back in order. However, most get this confused, I am not saying to blame yourself or even to say that it is your fault. Regardless if you are at fault or not, your mindset should be that you are fully responsible for making the situation better! As you shift into this state fueled by your ability to respond, you will begin adopting more responsibility and become more productive than ever before. If we can get our act together at the individual level and stop blaming others for our circumstances, we will be on the road to true freedom. In life, there is the good, the bad and the evil. We will encounter all three of these at some point and our true freedom lies in our ability to adapt and adjust accordingly for the better.
The temptation to blame others for the bad and boast about the good is a constant battle. If we can overcome this, our new state can and will bleed into all areas of our life. When you see something is not right, fix it! When you notice someone doing something great, congratulate! The little acts of responsibility make a difference in the world. Everything you do matters… “For each will have to bear his own load.” -Galatians 6:5