Share the credit, take the blame

About 10 years ago, I had a martial arts instructor give me this advice that will stay with me for the rest of my life: Share the credit, take the blame. This simple statement, when applied to our daily lives, keeps us accountable. If we did something like show up to class late, it was our job to take responsibility. Nobody wanted to hear about the wreck on the highway or how it was someone else's fault. We just said "it was poor planning on my part" and moved on.

This month's life skill for HALO is Accountability: The act of being responsible for one’s actions.

For HALO youth, this is especially important. We recently had a young lady take her first step to achieving her dream of becoming a lawyer by accepting an Apprenticeship at Krigel and Krigel law firm in Kansas City. During her training at the HALO Center that prepared her for this endeavor, she learned that is imperative that she learns to be over prepared and willing to take full responsibility for her actions in the workplace. If she shows her strong desire to be in that profession, openness to constructive criticism, and tenacious work ethic, this position could lead to a brighter future. The possibilities are endless.

It takes courage to be held accountable. We set goals and have self-discipline toward those goals. When we step back and to held accountable to those goals it can be ugly at times, especially when someone else is involved. But facing that ugly is what leads us to growth and success.  There are always ways to improve or drop our little self-protective excuses we make every day for our short comings or laziness. 

I believe we may all learn from our youth who are so committed to their dreams and willing to be held accountable. This spirit drives them through adversity and on to the lives they deserve.

If you are interested in learning more about our Apprenticeship Program and how you or your business may get involved, email chelseaherzberg@haloworldwide.org

"Many people have the wrong idea of happiness. It is not obtained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." Helen Keller