"If my goal is to prove I am enough, my quest has no finish line. The battle was already lost the moment I conceded the issue was up for debate" — James McPartland
I have been thinking through what would be required of me to have an even more powerful impact on the people I have the good fortune to work with. If I could emphasize just "one thing" through my coaching, speaking, and how I live my life in the next 6 to 12 months, what would it be?
My conclusion: Personal RESPONSIBILITY
The practice of personal responsibility begins with the recognition that I am ultimately responsible for my own existence; no one else is here on earth to serve me, take care of me, or fill my needs. I am the owner of no one's life but my own. This means I am willing to generate the causes of the effects I want in my life. Further, if I want the cooperation of others in pursuit of my goals, I must provide them a meaningful understanding of what is in it for them. And even then, my wants are not a right to make a claim upon anyone, as their life is their own to lead.
In virtually all of the great spiritual and philosophical traditions I have studied, there appears to be a consistent idea that most human beings are sleepwalking through their existence. Enlightenment is identified as waking up. Evolution and progress are described as an expansion of consciousness.
For me, to live consciously means to be aware of everything that requires my attention and action. It is to know one's purpose in life, one’s highest values, and most significant daily priorities. This state of awareness asks us to do the best we can do, to the best of our ability, whatever our current level of ability may be.
Conscious living invites us to always give our best. And by definition, enough is “as much as is required”.
So if you have given your best, there is nothing else to do, You have done enough.
Being personally responsible means being answerable or accountable for all things within one's power, control, or management. What I am not responsible for, I can choose to be responsible to.
No matter the result that shows up in my life, if I'm involved, then I can be responsible to do something to elicit a new outcome. My only other option is to play the victim card, a highly undesirable way to show up in life, and in my engagement with others as I see it.
If I am responsible enough, and enough is the best that is required of me, then no matter what, I AM ENOUGH.
Therefore... enough really is enough.
