When we speak about responsibility and control, people know they are responsible if they have control. So much is clear. If you drive a new car off the forecourt and you get distracted by a text message on your phone, and end up mounting the pavement and injuring a pedestrian, you know you are are responsible. You had full control of your new car and through criminal lack of care and attention, failed to control it properly.
If on the other hand you drive your new car of the dealers forecourt, and through a manufacturing problem the steering wheel comes off in your hands, the car mounts the pavement and you injured a pedestrian, this time, you are not responsible. The manufacturer is. You had no control over the car.
But what is perhaps less clear, yet far more powerful when it comes to personal development,, is that because responsibility and control are flip sides of the same coin, the relationship works the other way round as well.
If you feel like life is out of control, beyond truly exceptional circumstances, this will be because you are failing to take responsibility. Taking responsibility means you realise bad things happen if you fail to take control and steer the ship.
## Using this objective
Hit the add button to add this objective to your objectives list. The first time you see this objective, make a list of five areas where you are failing to take sufficient responsibility in your life. Add the list to the diary in your daily review (or write them down somewhere you can find again if you are not using the diary feature in this app). In each, for the next 6 times this objective is shown take an action to rectify the situation.
However be aware, though understanding this concept is a (deceptively) powerful tool, it is also important not to overextend using it. Don’t just declare responsibility everywhere thinking doing so will bring you control. Ensure you are realistic, accept responsibility where you can realistically