Monday, January 28, 2008

Why You Can't Save The World.

First things first, it was Dan Kennedy who taught me a long time ago that your responsibility is to deliver value in the information that you sell or for that matter that you share, whether writing, consulting, coaching, product, advice...whatever.

Where you do not have responsibility is what people do with the value you give them. That is a difficult one to live with I know, but quite honestly you can tell a person how to make huge changes in their lives but unless they want it bad enough to take action, it won't happen and there is no one to blame but them for their own inactivity. (Although, it is likely they will blame you for it anyway.)

You have enough on your own plate, fleshing out your life, your business and your direction, taking the responsibility for your own actions and your own situations. If you allow others to steal your power in this way, making you feel bad about their lack of focus and action, you only rob yourself. This is a point of honor. You must honor yourself with a clear conscience about the fact that you delivered value. If you can get to this, you will find the quality of your friends, partners and customers changing for the better.

It's a strange world we live in and human beings can really do odd things. I am constantly amazed at how often people, including even myself at times, will stay in a bad scenario because it is familiar.

I'm not suggesting that you stop reaching out to people, just realize that you can't change the world. People only change when they want to. Own your own responsibility for your life and let everyone else mind their business.