What if it was never someone else's fault?

How often have you been quick to blame others before looking at the role you might have played in that situation?

I used to do this all the time... I blamed my manager for our bad relationship… my parents for not making me play the piano… my partners for not understanding me...

The problem with doing this was that it never got me anywhere. Not only did my manager stay the same, but it also bred resentment towards my parents and a sense of disconnection in my relationships.  

It wasn’t until I was introduced to the concept of Radical Personal Responsibility that I began to realise my role in all of these situations. 

I could find ways of improving my relationship with my boss, take piano lessons instead of blaming my parents or learn to be a better communicator.

The more responsibility I took for my different life situations, the more empowered I was to make them better.

With this new mindset, suddenly I was way more in control of my own life, I found common ground with my manager, learnt how to play the piano and drastically improved my communication.

So next time you find yourself in a situation where you want to assign blame, ask yourself: “What could I personally have done better? Where can I take more responsibility here?”

If you’re thinking “but what if it actually is someone else's fault”. I get it, I used to think that too but something magical happens when you start choosing to believe that it never is.