The Buck Stops Here

Most dictionaries define Responsibility as "readily assuming obligations or duties". But right from my youth I was enamored by a former President of America – Harry Truman’s statement "THE BUCK STOPS HERE. And since then I felt that this statement sums up everything about Responsibility. Truman did not want to pass the Buck and blame someone else. He believed that each and every person was Responsible for who they are and what they become. He probably did not want people to take the easy way out and turn their back on shouldering responsibility because it is very easy to pass the buck than to stand up and declare that "the buck stops here" i.e. Tell that I am responsible.

Accepting 100 percent responsibility for everything around you is the only way to learn, grow and move ahead in life. We must understand first of all that every moment and every stage of our life is filled with responsibility. As a child, as a student, as a teacher, as a husband, as a wife, as a father, as a mother, as in-laws, as an employer, as an employee, as a friend; each and every role in our life is full of responsibili¬ties.

A Responsible person accepts total responsibility and is confident, has total control over his/ her activities, and spreads positive vibrations around his /her and as a result is more respected by others and is successful in life.

An irresponsible person on the other hand always blames others. Such persons fall out of control, send negative vibrations, and have a closed mind. As a result their fate is sealed by themselves and consequently they suffer.

Remember friends, there are two types of people on the road life. - Passengers and drivers. People who are in control and assume responsibility are the drivers of the world. People who are passive and just move with the tide are passengers.

The drivers are in control of their lives because they call the shots. They make the decisions on which way to go and how Far to go. The passengers on the other hand are like the also ran’s. They are just spectators watching the world go by, instead of choosing to actively participate. These passengers are like back seat drivers, who keep telling the drivers where they went wrong, instead of getting behind the wheels themselves and reaching the destination.

Of course, we all would definitely like to be drivers and not passengers, because we know that being in the driving seat makes one feel confident, gives a feeling of being a leader, happier and fulfilled.

Here is the bottom line – You and only you; not your parents, spouse, friends, employees are responsible for your life. Accepting responsibility for your life is what separates men from the boys, the winners from the losers.

Think of it this way: If you smoke cigarettes, did anyone hold a gun to your head and force you to start? Can anyone else quit smoking for you? Can anyone else learn or acquire skills or knowledge for you? Of course not! Only YOU CAN. Ultimately, it boils down to saying that You & Only You are responsible for creating your dreams and setting your own goals. You are responsible for believing in yourself, for improving your attitude, for replacing bad habits with good ones, for preparing for success, for controlling emotions, for managing your time and so on. Taking responsibility is not something we should seem to avoid, it is something we should embrace, if we want to experience, all the great rewards that life has to offer. We certainly don’t have control on our entry into or exit from this world. But what about the in between life? Take a promise to create the best for yourself. The responsibility for who you are and what you become rests with you.

Congratulations!!!

You just made a promise that has the power to make you more valuable than you ever dreamed. Reap the benefits of being responsible. Remember once again "THE BUCK STOPS HERE".



This article has been written by R. Sai Prakash. He is a faculty at ISBR Business School .ISBR is one of the top MBA colleges in Bangalore and preferred destination for overseas students to pursue MBA in India.