Personal responsibility, are two words that society likes to avoid for some reason. It’s not your fault — is a more common phrase.

If your family was poor you’ll probably be poor too. It’s not your fault you’re not educated. The school system failed you or support was missing at home.

There are way more excuses for failure in life than there are justifications for it.

There are people in this world who are dealt a bad hand. There’s no denying it. It might be poor health or some other mental or physical issue.

You're The Deciding Factor

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Unless you are physically or mentally unable to work, being poor in the greatest country on earth is a choice.”

As you can imagine people really like to go after me when I say that. It takes all the excuses away and puts those two words above, personal responsibility, directly on their shoulders.

There’s more opportunity in the United States for even the poorest among us who have decided that they alone have the power to change their own destiny.

They don’t need excuses they simply need opportunity. And successful people make their own opportunities.

By that I don’t mean they invent Facebook or they’re some kind of financial genius.

I mean that through determination and desire they climb the economic ladder one tough rung after another by finding ways to make themselves more valuable.

The Airplane Method

If you’ve ever flown in an airplane you know that the flight attendant will instruct you on what to do if the plane loses cabin pressure and the oxygen masks begin to fall from the overhead compartments.

“Please secure your own mask first — before assisting others.”

We all want to help others but until our own house is in order and the needs of immediate family are satisfied helping others can’t happen.

I might be able to help my neighbor pay his mortgage for one month. After that he’s pretty much going to be on his own.

I have to secure my own mask before assisting others. I have to take personal responsibility for myself as well as those who depend on me.

Some Final Thoughts

Those enablers who confirm to you that your station in life is beyond your control and you have to be completely dependent on others are doing you a great disservice.

They sound helpful and caring but their confirmations of their own stereotypes are simple making it harder for you to improve your station in life.

They do not believe in you — or your future.

In fact they will even go so far as to sabotage your efforts to protect you from failure. The very thing you need in order to grow stronger by learning to overcome adversity.

As we all know, “In every adversity there’s the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” I’m living proof of that statement.

So live your life by the airplane rule. Take personal responsibility for your situation. Secure your own mask first.

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