Taking Responsibility

I like to call taking charge of your life, Taking Responsibility.

I learned this lesson when I was around 20 years old. more about the author I was working for my mother in her search consulting business. I was her secretary responsible for opening and closing the office, answering the phones and so on.

My mom was ill at the time and had been away from the office for a few months. She didn’t know when she would be returning so she had to let her other two employees go. I was the only employee and it was very boring. The phone didn’t ring very much and no one ever dropped by. Slowly my responsibilities turned into talking to my friends on the phone, coming in late, reading books and sleeping on the couch!

Then one day my mom said, “Karen I am going to give you a raise.”

It was a $6000 per year raise and at my young age it seemed like a fortune. I immediately felt guilty. Of course I didn’t deserve a raise.

To this day I am not sure if my mom just did it so she would have a higher tax write off or if she was brilliantly deceptive knowing that I wouldn’t accept a raise without deserving it.

I pondered the idea. My first reaction was to decline the raise because my work ethic was not worthy of it. Then I had a revelation. I asked myself, “What if I accepted the raise and started taking responsibility for my position?”

It seemed like a good idea to me so I accepted the raise and took full responsibility for my role; I had renewed energy and focus. Now I came in on time, I cleaned the windows, the mirrors, I organized the files, and I read books on selling and listened to motivational tapes. I was going to be ready for my mom’s return!

When she recovered and returned to work, she saw how seriously I was taking responsibility for my job. She promoted me to assistant and then eventually to search consultant. Things were going quite well for about a year and a half until I got distracted.

I was in the drugstore dealing with a belligerent pharmacist when a lady standing next to me said, “do you model?” I said no and she said, “I like your look and the way you just dealt with that person, here is my card, please call me.” Well it turned out that she ran one of the biggest talent agencies in Canada, so I called her.

I started to model and do commercials part time. I enjoyed it, but my search consulting business was suffering. I was also spending time planning my upcoming wedding. My mother pulled me aside one day and told me that I had to make a decision.

She asked, “Do you want to be a search consultant or a model?”

I reflected on how I felt about the modeling business. Although it was fun, I realized that I didn’t like my success being dependant on my looks. I recalled the photographer who told me he couldn’t hire me because my lips weren’t symmetrical and other similar stories. I decided that I was just doing it for a lark and it was time to settle down and focus on my career.

I also came to another conclusion during the decision-making process; I decided that I wanted to take charge of my business by taking responsibility for my success or failure. I told my mom that I still wanted her guidance and training as I knew that I still had a lot to learn but I didn’t want her to be my boss anymore. I didn’t like the dynamics it was creating in our relationship and I needed to cut the umbilical cord.

I told her that if she still wanted me to work for the company, I would need my own niche to focus on. I would pay rent for my office and my share of the expenses and in return I would get full autonomy and a higher commission. She agreed and from that day onwards my business grew and grew. I became one of the top search consultants in Canada in the high technology sector and my prosperous career lasted 18 years!

I then took responsibility once again and followed my dreams Find out how our Life Coaching Services will help you follow your dreams of moving to a tropical island, starting a Life and Business Coaching Company and writing a book.

I now live in the Dominican Republic, my company Successful Solutions Life Coaching is going very well and the book Feeling Trapped? Free Yourself Now! has been transformed into a Life Improvement Program!

Taking responsibility is now a way of life for me. Not only in business but all aspects of my life; relationships, health, finances and education.

If we wait for others to do things for us or for something to magically fall into our laps, we may be waiting a long time! Taking Responsibility for your life can change your life!

When you have done everything within your power to create your intention you take the third step.

If you are interested in taking more responsibility for your Business, our Business Coaching and Executive Coaching Services can help you do that!

Find out if you are Feeling Trapped in Life with our Free Questionnaire!

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