I’m still trying to wrap my mind around people who say they will do something but then fail to do it.
They place zero weightage on the word “responsibility.”
To walk away from promises is moral turpitude as far as I am concerned.
A responsible person follows through on his promises and his obligations.
If you say you will do something, do it!
Watch your “saying to doing” ratio!
You don’t say you will do it, and then hope someone else will do it for you.
Avoiding responsibility comes with a short-term gain but a long term cost. It destroys a sense of purpose and prevents resilience in the face of adversity on both an individual and societal level.
It is important to be clear about your responsibilities and make a habit of following through on your promises. This will ensure that others are aware of your commitments and expectations.
Your work is your hallmark, by the fruits of your labor, others will know your character.
Being responsible also means doing a good job!
Whenever you have responsibility for something or someone, it is your duty to ensure that you do a good job. If you have a responsibility for your dog, for example, you should feed it every day to keep it healthy. If you do not feed it and it becomes sick, the consequence will be disastrous. If you don’t walk the dog on a daily basis and let it poop outside and clean up after it, it’s going to shit all over your house. And you will literally be living in a shit house. Unless you like it. Some people do like to wallow in shit. I hope you are not one of those. Pet ownership is not to be taken lightly.
Being socially responsible also means contributing in a way that maximizes your personal strengths. This can be done in your work, volunteer activities or even leisure activities. Developing and applying these unique strengths will help you feel useful, which can give you a sense of purpose. Otherwise you will just be a zombie, or a walking dead. (By the way, some people have died years ago, but still exists from day to day moving like robots, as if in a trance, with nary a meaning to their daily existence. Yup, died in his 20’s, but still alive at 70.)
Yup, when you make a promise to do something, you must keep your word. This demonstrates your level of trustworthiness and dependability to others. It is also a reflection of your integrity, and will earn you respect. Once you renege on your responsibility, no one will trust you anymore. Failing to fulfill our responsibilities damages our reputation and erodes trust.
You have a responsibility to keep your promises, even if it’s difficult. If you are not able to fulfill a commitment within the specified timeframe, it’s important to communicate this to the people you’ve made promises to. This will give them an opportunity to make other plans for the same time frame.
Sidestepping your responsibility comes with a high price in the long term. It robs you of a sense of purpose, and it robs others of your unique strengths, which I assume you do have some. Indeed, cultivating and applying your unique talents in a way that is beneficial to others helps you develop a sense of purpose that stretches beyond your individual capacity. This builds resilience amidst adversity.
It is a powerful thing to be responsible for transforming the chaos of potential into a habitable reality, and the more you practice being responsible, the better you will become at it. Trust me, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in your life.