“Own Your Own!”

Any reader (or listener) of mine already knows how much I believe in Dr. David Burns, MD, and his book “Feeling Good! The New Mood Therapy” where we can learn about “thinking ourselves well.”

One of the strategies I find most useful to eliminating cognitive barriers to success, (you know-- how to avoid the things that prevent you from doing your best) is to take a mental vacation and inventory. Once in a while we should all take a day or an afternoon off just to ask ourselves: “What do I need to start doing and stop doing as it relates to beliefs and behaviors that sabotage my results?”

Personally, one answer I recently stumbled upon is the recognition that no matter what you or I do “(you) own your own results.” The ability- no, the requirement, to “own your own” is a basic principle of Acceptance (the “A” from my A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Management Techniques) inherent in personal accountability. Since you must own your results the real question then becomes; “do your results and your efforts match?”

If not, you have some work to do.

Personally, I tend to delegate away what I should do, and focus on what I want to do. Either way, I own the results! So, the choices are to do more, or delegate better. I cannot delegate the responsibility-- I have to own my own outcomes. Again, if you are one of my readers, and especially one of my listeners, you have heard me talk about having a “shouldy attitude” where we are dominated and trapped into motivating ourselves by “should statements” and activities.

I think it's fantastic to delegate away what you should do; so long as you find a synergistic relationship where your delegated "should activity" is someone else’s wanted role in a mutual (the “M” of A.W.E.S.O.M.E.) objective and that you singularly accept and “own your own” outcomes.

I am often guilty of preachy or humorous statements without teeth. Not here though; I want to give this observation some teeth with an example. This e-Newsletter is that example. I want to write and create; I "should" build structure and consistency in my business. I found someone who wants to do what I "should" have been doing. Her name is Debbie Lonergan, my Virtual Assistant, who takes my ramblings and wants to package them in a consistent and organized way. And luckily, she is very good at what she is doing. But, in the end, the reason this works is because I realize that it is still my responsibility to “own my own.” This e-Newsletter (and Blog) is my baby; which means the mistakes are mine and the successes are ours!

I believe that a critical part to an “own your own” awareness is to “own your own failures and share your successes!” This is the mark of a true professional…no excuses! Own failures and share successes! This is how people establish an internal brand and reputation in an organization. No finger-pointing, unless you are pointing to someone responsible for your successes.

You can be happy (and productive) anywhere and always, or nowhere and never; it’s your choice!