When making decisions about your life, it seems like everyone has an opinion sometimes. It’s enough to make you wonder: Whose life is it, anyway — yours or “theirs”?
Are you accountable for your wins but not failures? Do you try to please everybody, and then point a finger when things don’t go according to plan?
If so, you’re not alone. This is natural, given your goals, relationships and commitments. So, take a moment to reflect – and realize that your life is yours and yours alone. Seize the concept of extreme ownership and personal responsibility for everything in it. How you interpret and react to people, places and things is KEY to living your most empowered and happy life.
That’s a tough concept, isn’t it? Especially when there’s so much in life we can’t control. Life gets difficult and even messy. So, how can you be expected to “OWN” everything in it?
Well, the concept or “extreme ownership” has taken off in many circles, including some in Corporate America, where executives are taught to be accountable, have a plan B, lead big teams, and hit their goals. It’s also the title of a best-selling book by a couple of Navy Seals, also known for delivering under pressure. They offer seven lessons we can all apply to our lives.
- Seize accountability. When something goes wrong, figure out what happened so you can learn from it.
- Standards are what you tolerate. So, stand for excellence.
- Understand your why. Be sure you’re clear about your motivation.
- Develop a simple plan. Remove complications, roadblocks and doubt.
- Make choices based on your priorities. What are the most important tasks you face? Do them first.
- Trust yourself and your advisers. Sometimes you can figure it out yourself; but realize when you need advice or help, and then get it.
- Discipline brings freedom. By practicing little acts of discipline, like making your bed when you wake up, you’re creating the mindset that will drive you through each day.
And why should we do all of this?
Because by taking “extreme ownership,” we’re extremely more likely to get the life we want. Simple as that.
