Who Is Responsible?


Who gets to determine what we will become in life?

Who chooses what we read?

Who gets to decide who we associate with?

Who decides how we spend our time?

Who gets to look for someone to blame?

I have a question to ask you: Should you leave to chance whether or not you will be financially free? Or should you take responsibility for your situation and make changes?

That last question was rhetorical, of course. Some things in life are out of our control. But in a culture where it’s easy to make excuses, we still own the most important responsibilities of all.

I am certain that anyone with average intelligence and a positive attitude can become financially free in their lifetime, if he or she is willing to work hard.

Everyone has the ability to change their financial life. It may take a bit of time. It may require that they change some of the thoughts and feelings they have about wealth and their relationship to wealth, but everyone can achieve financial freedom.

The first thing everyone must accept is that we are solely and completely responsible for our current financial situation. Before anyone reacts defensively, please read that sentence again… I didn’t say someone is necessarily the cause of their situation. I said they are responsible for it.

You see, history shows that success is not achieved by those with the biggest brains… but by those with the strongest stomachs. Those that have the courage to take responsibility for their futures. As they say, “the future belongs to the bold.”

If you needed to, could you argue passionately for the life you don’t have today? Could you imagine walking over to the other side?

That flip, that ability, when confronted with a world that doesn’t match the world in your head, to say, “this is not the life for me.” This my friend,  is the core of taking responsibility.

But some would have a different argument. They would rather argue for their limitations.  You see, they are excellent storytellers. They have a story for everything.

A story for why they can’t save money, stay disciplined and build wealth.

“I wasn’t born into a wealthy family.”

“I don’t make enough money to save.”

“I don’t have time.”

“I’m too old.”

“I’ve never been good with money.”

“I deserve a reward.”

“It’s too hard.”

“I’ve never been very disciplined.”

As they say, if a person argues for their limitations, they get to keep them!

But here’s the good news – by taking responsibility for their current condition, a person automatically assumes responsibility for their future. And this is where the magic happens. Because nobody can change your fortune but you. And nobody else will. The sooner a person accepts that reality, the sooner they will begin to feel financially powerful.

I’m not giving you a pep talk. I’m telling you the truth. I’ve done it myself.

What can’t you do?

Here’s an exercise. Write a few things down that you consider far outside your grasp.  For each item on the list, write down all the ‘reasons’ why you think you cannot do it. If investing is the example, you might list that you don’t know anything about investing and that it’s too hard. You might also put down that you are intimidated by the stock market.

Now that you’re done with the negativity, find a way to overcome each of the excuses (you know they aren’t reasons, right?) you just wrote down. As I’ve mentioned in my ebook, there’s always a way. Those that are determined will find it.

This is a simple exercise to help someone escape their self-imposed box. There are no right or wrong answers. There are only challenges.

Can you do it? What do you need to find out to be able to move forward? How much effort and determination will be required? What limitations are you going to shed? What are you going to do to break out of your box? What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your demands? What are you made of? Will you work your butt off, or just sit on it? Will you argue for or against your limitations? Will you take responsibility? The choices and the results are up to you.

Taking responsibility for your financial future is liberating. It’s only when a person takes responsibility for their financial future that they can experience the success and the security and satisfaction that comes with it.

As Stephen Dolley, Jr. reminds us, “A man who wants something will find a way; A man who doesn’t will find an excuse.”