365QOD- Day1227

100% Responsible

“I feel a responsibility to the people who've helped me. There was the senior analyst who mentored me, the boss who hired me when no-one else would, the boss who gave me my first big promotion when I was hugely pregnant, the scholarship program that paid for my education, the high school guidance counselor who told me to stop acting like a dippy southern belle throw-back, the several CEOs who heaped more responsibility on my plate than they likely should have, my parents…….you get the point. Each of these people took risks with me, and in turn I feel an on-going responsibility to them.”- Sallie Krawcheck, LinkedIn article

Let me tell you a story.  A while back, I listened to a CD in which a presenter questions an audience about their responsibilities. 

The presenter asks the tough question, “In relationships, what percentage are you responsible for the success of the relationship?”  The audience starts with the easily derived 50/50 ratio.  Then someone gets smart and offers the 51/49 as an answer because you have to be willing to do a little more than your partner. Next someone offers 80/20 as the ultimate answer.  It must be!  You have to be willing to carry majority of the weight of the responsibility in order for it to succeed.  Lastly, the presenter writes 100% on the board. 

I believe that this is a powerful lesson.  The only way we can help the other person is by assuming 100% responsibility for the relationship.  Assume that the other person will give nothing back.  This will feel awkward most of the time but do it anyway.

As Sallie teaches us, we have responsibilities toward people who helped make us a success.  The people in our lives at this moment are having the same effect on us.  Often times we blindly do not see the little things that they are doing to nudge us. We should be willing to take that responsibility in order to help nurture the relationship.  By doing so we ultimately accept responsibility for all of our actions and choices that have led us to this critical point in our lives.

Today’s question is:

“Do you take 100% responsibility for your relationships and life?”