Taking control of what you think in service of

designing your successful future

Part 2: Personal Accountability

“Life is so much better when we shed the victim thinking and simply choose
the path of personal accountability” – John G Miller , from The Question
behind the Question.

Today’s world presents us with challenges every day of

our lives. We cannot control everything that happens to
us, however, we can change the way we think about it,
and this is where our personal accountability come in to
play, in the choices we exercise over how we view the
challenges which are presented to us. Examples where
attitutes have made all the difference. Remember
Christopher Reeves?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Reeves
A film star who broke his neck horse riding and became
paralysed from the neck down. and Simon Weston who
suffered severe burns during the Falklands war
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Weston
Both had to face tragic circumstances but never gave up,
primarily because of the way they held themselves
personally accountable for how they thought about their
circumstances.

Have you every said to yourself or to others, “I have to work”, “I have got to work
late”, “I must get this report out by 5 pm”. The words rubricated here are all victim
words. These send a messages to others and more importantly to ourselves that we
see ourselves as victims.

How about replacing those victim words with words like “Want to” “Like to”, “Love
to”. These words are far more empowering and gives you more control; research
show that this is an essential element to living an empowered fuller life. If we give
into the thought that we are victims and support this perspective with the words we
use to ourselves and to others about ourselves, this is what you will move
towards…………. being a victim. How about making that something positive?
Instead of focusing on what you don’t want, try focusing on what you do want in
your life.

Exercise: List the top 5 things you don’t want in your life (take 1 min)
Now reframe those top 5 things you just listed into a positve present
statements, e.g. “ I don’t want to work late”, to “I am leaving on
time”.

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Debrief: Did you notice how you felt? As you listed the don’t wants, and how you
felt when you reframed them into a positive statement. Did you notice the shift in
energy?

We attract to ourselves what we fear the most. Have you ever

wondered why, despite your best efforts, you manage to ruin
that beautiful new dress despite thinking “I must not ruin
this dress”? This is because we will gravitate towards the
object or element we focus on, our minds cannot move away
from things, just move towards things.

As an individual, you are accountable for the things which

happen in your life, even when you think you are not taking
action or making a choice, actually you are, and the
consequences which take place as a result, are your
responsibility.

You have the life you want presently; the friends you have, the
car you drive, the job you have, your financial security, your life
partner, is all of your own design and it all started with your
thoughts.

Self responsibility shows emotional maturity. When we are self responsible we hold
ourselves accountable for where we are in life. Our parents, children, employers are
not responsible for where we are…………..We are!

If you want something different, you need to change your thinking.

Resources:

Get a Life – setting your Life compass for success – Nicholas Bate

Being Happy – Andrew Matthews.

The 21 – day consciousness Cleanse – Debbie ford

(There is a 21 day Consciousness Cleanse course which can be found on the
Oprah Winfrey’s website – free of charge, I believe all you have to do is to
sign up for membership).

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Get-Started-Take-Debbie-Fords-21-Day-
Consciousness-Cleanse

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