Implement the Cycle of Accountability

In Gary Keller's book, The One Thing he discusses the difference between people who take accountability in their lives versus those who allow life to simply happen to them.

Accountable Mentality:

1. Seeks Reality
Thinks: What's happening?

2. Acknowledges Reality
Thinks: This is the way it is.

3. Owns it
Thinks: If it's to be, it's up to me!

4. Finds Solutions
Thinks: What can I do?

5. Gets on with it.
Thinks: O.K., let's do it!

VERSUS

Life Just Happens Mentality:

1. Avoids Reality
Thinks: Ask no questions.

2. Fights Reality
Thinks: That's not how I see it.

3. Blames
Thinks: If everyone would just do their job!

4. Personal Excuses
Thinks: It's not my job!

5. Waits & Hopes
Thinks: If it was meant to be, it'll happen.

* Don't let life just happen. Live the cycle of accountability. 

My Wage

Here's a wonderful and inspirational poem included in the book, The One Thing. The poem's theme is that life is a question and the quality of how we live it out depends on our answer.

MY WAGE

By J. B. Rittenhouse

I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening 
When I counted my scanty store.

For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid.

Success = Asking a Great Question and Coming Up with a Great Answer

In Gary Keller's book, The One Thing, he talks about the importance of asking great questions in order to achieve our goals. When we ask questions of a higher caliber we're forced to face the challenge of finding an equally impactful answer.

Keller says there are 3 categories of answers: doable, stretch, and possibility. 

Doable answers are the ones we know we can do and are often already within reach.

Stretch answers are still within reach but ones that may require research, study, and extending ourselves beyond our current abilities.

And possibility answers are the type that require us to dream big and live on the outer limits of what we believe we can do.

The latter are the types of answers high achiever pursue because they understand extending one's self is the first step to enriching our lives for the better.