“If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams.” Les Brown

Motivation Mondays: Responsibility – The Leopard’s Tale
What is a fear of living? It’s being preeminently afraid of dying. It is not doing what you came here to do, out of timidity and spinelessness. The antidote is to take full responsibility for yourself – for the time you take up and the space you occupy. If you don’t know what you’re here to do, then just do some good. Maya Angelou
What does responsibility mean to you? What/Who do you feel responsible for? We all know the airline rule that says when the gas masks appear in an emergency, a parent’s first responsibility is to put the mask on before putting one on their child. The point behind it is that if we prepare ourselves for survival, we are in a better position to help another person. As parents, our responsibility is to our family, true, however, if we don’t take care of ourselves and our needs, we won’t be able to truly give our best. You can’t give what you don’t have. Motivate yourself to become stronger inside and out and then your contributions won’t be mediocre. We must take responsibility for ourselves first; our well-being, our growth and our progress depends on us, and knowing this is critical to our success.
Sometimes, people either take on more than they can handle or shirk all responsibility while criticizing others. While it is imperative that we behave in a responsible way in all our interactions, there is a fine line between feeling responsible and becoming a doormat. The world is full of carcasses of people who relinquished their personal power to others and paid a price for it. Know the difference. First strengthen and nurture yourself and then you will have the wherewithal to help others in a meaningful way. Responsibility is a two-way street, we act to help ourselves and others, and the reciprocity keeps the effort alive.
A Story: A Leopard’s Tale (modified from a story by Pedro Pablo Sacristan)
There was a lazy leopard who lived in a forest that was being ravaged by thieves. As the other animals complained and held meetings on how to catch the thief, the Leopard was busy lolly-gagging in the trees looking for his usual prey. One day by accident, he saw the thief and instead of reprimanding the thief or bringing it to the attention of the other animals, he brushed it off. It was not his responsibility to care, as long as his favorite tree was standing. Instead, he spent the next days, weeks and months, enjoying the shenanigans of the thief and kept quiet. One night he fell asleep and woke up in a strange setting. He was baffled how he ended up so far away from the forest. When he sat up and took a closer look, he could see the forest at a distance but the tallest tree where he hung out was no longer there. The thief had cut it down while he was sleeping. Not only did he lose his favorite tree, he lost his place in the forest.
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. ” Jim Rohn

Motivation Mondays: Responsibility – The Intelligent Ones
Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally. If you want to take responsibility for your life, you must choose one of those three options, and you must choose now. Then accept the consequences. Eckhart Tolle
Does your job or responsibility feel like handcuffs? If yes, then it is time to make some massive changes in your life. Sometimes, when we go into a store or a public place, we are welcomed and helped with enthusiasm by the store clerk or attendant. The store clerk feels responsible to the customers coming in and is eager to do a great job so they customer will leave satisfied. Then there are those helpers who ignore the customers or act as if the customer is a nuisance and interrupting their reverie. Some even act as if they are chained to the job against their will, and they sulk and whine. What they seem to have forgotten is that they are being paid to perform a job. What they seem to have forgotten is that they have the freedom to find something suitable to their temperament and dreams. They are representing the owner and must act in a responsible way.
By the same token, when we are leaders, it is our responsibility to serve and keep our people informed of all the things that help/hurt the community. We can choose to use our position for service or for self-aggrandizement. Whichever path we choose requires that we remember what led us there. When we no longer feel fulfilled, it is time to change guards. Often in Dictatorships, you see leaders who hold on with all their might to the detriment of their people and the destruction of the system. If we are unhappy with our job, a role, or a situation, there are options to take and, as Eckhart mentioned above, choose one and be clear about it. After all, it is your life! Why stay in an untenable situation that is no longer a joy? If you’ve tried communicating and nothing came of it, your responsibility is to remove yourself from the situation and move forward with your life. There is no need for altercations, assigning blame or being rude to the customers, just change directions and do it responsibly.
A Story The Intelligent Ones – A story by Pedro Pablo Sacristan)
The story above will give you food for thought, as it reminds us that to whom much is given, much is expected. When we have skills or talents that can benefit others, we need to use them in service to the world. But it is important that we do so with clarity and an understanding that when the time is ripe, we will act and/or withdraw. Read it and share your thoughts. How do you view your role in the world? Are you a looker or a leader?
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for March are:
03/02 – READ
03/09 – Patience
03/16 – Responsibility
03/23 – Health
03/30 – Strength
More Below!
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” Max de Pree

Motivation Mondays: Responsibility – The Squidges
If we each take responsibility in shifting our own behavior, we can trigger the type of change that is necessary to achieve sustainability for our race or this planet. We change our planet, our environment, our humanity every day, every year, every decade, and every millennia. Yehuda Berg
Choice is more than picking ‘x’ over ‘y.’ It is a responsibility to separate the meaningful and the uplifting from the trivial and the disheartening. It is the only tool we have that enables us to go from who we are today to who we want to be tomorrow. Sheena Iyengar
Where do you feel your strongest responsibility lies? If you know what stirs your heart and motivates you to keep pushing forward, then own responsibility for it and do it. Being responsible doesn’t mean that we have to become martyrs to a cause. It means we need to be clear about our commitments and our limits and then see them through. Being responsible means not sitting on the sidelines and waiting for others to do all the work. Some of us like to leave the heavy lifting to others and when the work is done, we bask in the glory after the fact. Our actions have an impact on our world, be motivated to rise above the fray and work for good.
Since this is Women’s History Month, The Suffragettes come to mind. In the early days of the fight for equal rights and the voting right, there were women who championed the cause while others fought against their actions. Some didn’t believe the time was ripe or that the bold actions of women who were seen as property would bear fruit. The Suffragettes fought on at great cost to them and their loved ones; they were locked up, kicked out of communities, threatened and even beaten up. The women leaders persevered and if you know your history, you’d know that because they took full responsibility for a cause they believed in and committed themselves to it, they eventually won out. In 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granted women the right to vote.
A Story – The Squidges (modified from a story by Pedro Pablo Sacristan) Come back late for this fascinating story about how our actions have an impact on the world and on those we serve. It’s a great yet funny story.
For More: Women’s Lives & Issues
Positive Motivation Tip: Begin by taking full responsibility for yourself and your actions. They won’t disappoint you.
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for end of November and all of December below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page: MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.
Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
Related Posts
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos: Leopard/Panther, Suffrage, (Suffrage universel dédié à Ledru-Rollin, painted by Frédéric Sorrieu in 1850), Handcuffs via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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Great stories, you must be incredibly well read to know about this stuff!
Gilly, I’m learning too as I go along. I don’t have all the answers. Ideas yes, I’m constantly exploring ideas. Thank you! 🙂
I am responsible for two little humans, so I am always on call and my guard is always up. I need to keep them safe.
I always love reading your posts. I think this one is a great one that more people should read. Especially the generation of guys in their mid 20s. They’re not the men I used to know.
You speak for many. It affects both gender. People sit and wait for others to do the work and then jump in to glorify over the results. Accountability/responsibility means owning our sht… good, bad and ugly. Then we should move forward and honor our souls work.
My job used to feel like handcuffs, before I became a stay at home mimi. I’m much better satisfied and suited to working from home.
Your posts always inspires and motivates me me. Taking full responsibility of every action you make is fulfilling. It doesn’t matter if it’s a success or not, you have to own the result of what you have done.
I think we should be the change we want to see and it’s so important to teach our children to be responsible. We should always do our part.
I liked this week’s theme. And the Les Brown quote. Responsibility is something we all need to make sure we take
It’s really important for people to be responsible, especially when their decisions affect others. I think it goes hand in hand with accountability sometimes.
I definitely feel like my job feels like handcuffs!! I’m definitely in a rut right now and need a change!
I think, in some instances, taking responsibility can actually be quite liberating. You’re taking ownership for something (or someone) and yes- while that may seem daunting, eventually it grows you.
Nothing explains the fear of living better than the quote above. It is such a real fear!
Totally loving this quote today!!! It’s so very true!!! Be responsible for yourself! Once we focus on ourselves anything is possible 🙂
Another wonderful motivational post, great to read on a Monday!
I absolutely love this! So important to be responsible for yourself!
I kinda felt handcuffed in life, but I let go and have never been happier!
What a great motivational post on a Monday!
So much to think about and having six little ones spread out over 17 years, I don’t know what it would be like NOT to be responsible.
Your posts are always so thought provoking. My children are what keeps pushing me forward and I will always own that. Great quotes here.
This is a great post indeed. It is our responsibility to be true to our self and to others. Excepting who we are and what we have done is responsibility to me. Thanks for sharing.
It really is sad how little personal responsibility there is now a days!! This is a great post!
Great post! Sharing this with my friends. 🙂
I’ve worked so many “disposable” jobs and done so many things I didn’t wamt to do. Some were chosen, some were not. I’m in the middle of one right now that is completely out of my control — if I walked away I’d be jailed, lol! However, I’ve always found that the best thing to do is to throw myself into the positiin and do a great job for the sake of doing a great job. I always learn new things and come away with experiences I wouldn’t otherwise have had!
Well said! We all need to work our hardest wherever we find ourselves in life. We all deal with responsibilities that we woyldn’t have chosen at some point. Owning them and committing to them makes all the difference!
I truly do have a huge fear of dying – thank you for such a motivational post!
So true – remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept the responsibility completely. Thanks for your motivational Monday!
Great post as usua! Thanks for the motivation!
Great thing to think about! I always appreciative reading your motivation posts!
Great post. I tend to take on more than I should.
My strongest responsibility lies with my only son. He was the one who gave me strength when his dad passed away at such a young age. And because of him, I learned to be strong and to move forward.
I’m loving this post, its so motivational! Thank you for sharing.
Eliz – love your quotes and stories of importance – Beautifully written and when I take responsibility regularly if I can, I have noticed that my world runs better for me and others
I’m responsible for my mom, sister, and me. Typically all of my energy goes to my mom & sister. I’m working on getting back more of me :-). Extremely motivating post! Thank you for sharing. I look forward to reading more.
Great post! I’m responsible for my mom, sister, and me. They get the most of my energy. But, I’m working on getting more of me back ;-). Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
You posts are always so inspiring and make me think and analyze my life. I wish I could change my job, because even though it feels like hell I don’t want to lose out on the security plus I wouldn’t know what else to do with myself.
I feel the same way! I’m always thinking after these posts.
Yes, I do feel that way sometimes and these posts give me a chance to connect with others and reflect. TY! 😀 💖
You have such great points and I’m so happy for posts like these as they’re so inspiration and motivation! I wish some of us would just be more responsible, some things are just not what it was before! thanks for sharing!
I wonder if there is an age limit on the ‘when we no longer feel fulfilled, it’s time to change guards…’ thing. I have had the same career for years, took time off to be w/my youngest child and I’m contemplating leaving higher ed. admin. something I’ve always loved. Maybe I’m having a mid-life crisis. 😉
There’s no age limit. It’s a knowing and readiness we feel inside. Change doesn’t sit well with everyone. If you are content where you are, stay put. 😉
Gorgeous picture of the leopard! Ooo – I like the quote “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant” by Max de Pree.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Yona. Thank you! 🙂
I really like that quote at the beginning. I think successful people are that way because they take responsibility and understand the importance of it. I often see unsuccessful people blaming others for their failures.
It’s a hard place to get to and that is why sometimes people would rather not face it. Being responsible doesn’t mean we won’t fail, it just means that we will be able to move forward with less baggage.
Wow, just wow, I really needed to read something like this, this evening. Thank you for posting, it really helped me.
Thank you for your feedback! 💖 I’m glad you enjoyed it Bonnie.
So many don’t take responsibility for themselves or their actions. You have such wonderful and intuitive ideas and thoughts! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you Jesica. Blaming others is easy, owning our stuff isnt. 😉
I just forwarded this to my husband. The whole time I was reading it, I thought of him! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for the feedback Erin. Hope he enjoys it. 🙂
Your posts are always so inspiring! I have a rsponsibilty to everyone and to myself to be a better person everyday.
Good for you Maggie. Also give yourself permission to take time to relax and self nurture.
I’m always so responsible and probably act like such an old lady, but I can’t help it.
Drives me nuts when others aren’t responsible and can’t act appropriately!
Maybe you need to kick back a bit and know that things will be taken care of by others. Let others do some of the heavy lifting.
I had a job that felt like handcuffs once.I am so glad that I am now able to do something that I love.
Glad to hear that too. It is a choice we have to make.
I really love reading this. Truly such a motivational post. I always take full responsibility for my two little angels. Your writing inspires me a lot. Thanks for sharing.
The sentiments are mutual Lisa. Than you for checking in. ;-)Happy St Paddy’s Day!
This is a great quote! I am responsible for myself as well as my family!
Yes we are. Howevere it is very importnat to take good care of ourselves so we can be around to care for our loved ones. It’s common sense really. Some people think it’s selfish. On the contrary, it’s selfish to let ourselves go and then become a burden to our loved ones later in life.
Very inspiring, thank you for this wonderful post. <3
Thank you for your feedback!
Thanks for the inspiration! Sometimes I do feel like I am shackled to my job as a stay at home mom but it can also be very fulfilling too and I am blessed to be with my little girl everyday.
Taking care of our loved ones can be very fulfilling. It is also important to take some time for ourselves. When ever we feel handcuffed or shackled, it is really our hearts telling us to spend some creative down time with ourselves… 🙂
I am fully responsible for myself. I often feel like I am the only adult and have to make the smart choices while my husband does what he wants and I have to suffer the consequences of his bad choices. I find myself angry lately. Like why do I have to be responsible for his things. Why can’t he? Why does it all fall on my shoulders? I have a lot to think about.
Great post you have here!!! thanks for sharing
This is one thing I stress to my kids, be responsible. I wish more parents would take the time to instill this trait into their kids.
That’s a very good quotation from Jim Rohn. Only we can change the course of our lives. We’re all both leaders and servants.
Well said! 🙂
I always enjoy reading your posts. You’re so insightful! 🙂
I like this… “We must take responsibility for ourselves first; our well-being, our growth and our progress depends on us, and knowing this is critical to our success.” I super agree with that, it start here(our self) and others need follow.
What a wonderful, inspiring post! I try to stay responsible but even I need some downtime every so often! x
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. ” Jim Rohn
I like this quote and it made me think about another saying, how we should stay true to ourselves and not change because of the environment. But I think it’s more like two schools of thoughts huh?
Same message Tiffany. Said differently but mean the same thing. We must stay true to self and draw a line in the sand that we don’t let others cross… 🙂
So important to take responsibility. This seems like a great roundup!
We must learn to take responsibility… There is so much to take from this post though very lengthy.
gonna share this post to my friends. Responsibility to me is commitment plus discipline. without these 2 ingredients then, you may consider yourself Irresponsible.
I certainly agree. We can only give what we have. We have to make ourselves ABLE so as to help others. We are responsible for our own life. We are the one’s who choose and decide. Today, I acknowledge and fully take responsibility of my life! 🙂
Amen to that… I’m preaching to the choir here Raymond. You’re ahead of the game. Keep it going. You do good bro. 😉
These quotes/ideals touch on a subject very near and dear to me. I have always said that responsibility and accountability are the keys to a truly successful person.
It’s easy to criticise, shirk responsibility, put blame on others but it takes courage to admit that things could be a whole lot better if the change was brought in your own self. Inspiring post…I enjoyed it totally.
Oh responsibility! Awesome post. Always inspirational!
Really happy my job doesn’t feel like handcuffs. I think we all should give ourselves the opportunity to do what we love. We can. It just takes a lot of sacrificing.
It takes commitment first and then the rest. Good for you! You’d be surprised how many people are handcuffed to their jobs.
I am sharing this post with my family members. Love the motivation of responsibility! 🙂
I am trying to get motivated and responsible as far as housework is concerned. I lack discipline to really get things done!
the jim rohn quote is lovely, inspiring and true. we should change for ourselves and not for others
How did you get that leopard so close-up in that first photo? As for responsibility, there is a song that goes, “No one is living for himself alone. We all have a responsibility for each other.” That is very true. – Fred
I think when it comes to responsibility people lack ownership in them. Some loves the power and authority yet fail to own their responsibility.
True… and you see this in the corporate world a lot. They don’t care for the work only the glory. Where is the ownership of the nitty gritty in the trenches work? Good point you made.
I love how powerful the photo of the handcuffed hand is. It reminds me of how sometimes our responsibilities feel like impositions. It takes a lot of commitment and motivation definitely! 🙂
Thank you Jason. I couldn’t have said it better.
Your post reminds me of my favorite quote on responsibility by Bob Dylan, “A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” It is indeed true, greater freedom means greater responsibility.
Thanks for the motivation post.. It kind of woke me up and reminded me to lead my life the way I want it. Make a change if I’m unhappy currently..
Inspiring stories. Thanks for sharing. Waiting fornanother great post from you!
In everything that we do, we must take responsility of it.
I have lots of responsibilities and I’m glad I can cope with it.
This was a fascinating exploration of responsibility, not necessarily in the sense of finances and jobs and other specific things, but in the sense of life in general – your situation, your circumstances, and your ability to claim power over those things. I loved the Eckhart Tolle quote too!
True…. It does come down to claiming power over our own lives.