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It’s Not Always Your Fault…

But it’s ALWAYS your responsibility!

I know I’m going against the grain a little bit in this article, but it’s just irresponsible to teach that the only thing you have to do to achieve your goals is to believe hard enough. Self-belief is the foundation of all achievement, but you still have to build the rest of the house.

When I was young my father was in the construction business. I had the opportunity to work nearly every job on the site to some degree. I can tell you first hand that the guys putting in the foundation have one of the toughest jobs on the project.

The same is true for building self-belief and self-confidence. Once the rest of the building is up, you may no longer notice the foundation, but if there’s even the slightest crack that goes without maintenance, the integrity of the whole building is at risk. You’ve to constantly tend to the process of developing and cultivating self-belief and self-confidence.

The first step is to look in the mirror. There stands the only person responsible for your success, and the only person who can truly develop your self-confidence. You build self-confidence by consistently establishing and accomplishing attainable goals.

In “Dynamic Components of Personal Power” I isolate three components needed to develop power. These components are Motivation, Discipline and Time. I constructed the Kung Fu Triangle to help me remember and visualize these components.

Motivation is often the product of a goal. Set a goal, any goal, and go for it. When times are tough at work or in business, set a goal outside of those areas. One goal that produces direct results is simply to read a book that will help you develop knowledge and skills applicable to your over-arching vision of success. You can expand that process by taking a class or earning a certification.

You can also simply step outside the fray for a while. Learn to play guitar or take up a sport. Set a goal to lose 3 pounds or increase your daily run by 5 minutes. The fact is that every time you set a goal and accomplish it, you’re creating the habit of success. This habit will transfer to other areas of your life.

As you create this habit of success, you’re developing Discipline. Discipline is simply the process of maintaining the habits you need to accomplish your goals. Discipline is sometimes difficult because of set-backs and failures.

Again I’ll have to push the positive thinking Kool-Aid away for a moment. I don’t for one second believe that you’re responsible for every situation and condition you encounter. You are, however, wholly responsible for your reaction to any situation, including disaster.

A disciplined person is much more likely to persevere in the face of crises. A disciplined person is also much more likely to win with honor and lose with dignity. With discipline, you appreciate your victories; you worked hard for them!

The final component in the Kung Fu Triangle is “Time”. You’ve got to give it time. It takes time to construct a quality building. Taking your time to do the job right creates lasting results. The component of Time also speaks to the fact that sometimes we’ve got to whether a storm. Sometimes disaster comes through no act on your part, but when you’re in the middle of the disaster it’s yours to deal with.

If you’ve built a solid foundation of self-belief and confidence, you know you can persevere. When you’ve developed discipline, you have what it takes to keep building.

In Chinese, the words “Kung Fu” literally mean an achievement through great effort. The true meaning of Kung Fu is only complete with the component of time. Time makes the difference between competency and mastery. Anyone can achieve some degree of competency in nearly any skill, only those willing to apply motivation and discipline over time will achieve mastery.

So, while I don’t believe that you create every obstacle in your path, I know that you’re the only one who can navigate through those obstacles. Personal responsibility doesn’t mean blaming yourself for everything that happens, but it certainly means owning your response.

Let me know your thoughts!

My new book “Dynamic Components of Personal Power” is now available on-line at www.JimBouchard.org as well as on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Borders.com and Lulu.com.

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