There is nothing as pitiful as a man who denies his mistakes and responsibilities, and turns his back on the truth. That is what you call a coward.
We all make mistakes, that’s part of the journey of life, but if we do not man up to our mistakes and take responsibility, there is no growth and respect goes out the back door.
Growth cannot take place unless we make mistakes. How else will we learn if we do not make the wrong decisions from time to time?
Don’t take this as me justifying wrong actions. If you do unforgivable things knowing the consequences, well, that is a whole different ball game. Still, it doesn’t take away from the fact that you can change for the better and grow.
You can become a better person and make wiser decisions. Don’t beat yourself up for making honest mistakes, they are bound to happen. It is through the mistakes we make that we grow wiser and become more cautious and responsible.
For those men who shy away from their responsibilities and refuse to stare their mistakes in the face – admitting that you made a mistake is the very first step of being a man.
I don’t expect you to sit in a corner and weep for the rest of your life because of poor choices, that won’t get you anywhere. But realise that the greatest respect is earned by men who admit their mistakes and take responsibility for them.
The greatest respect is earned by those men who own up to their responsibilities and don’t push them onto someone else, or shy away from them.
It is not the decisions you made that necessarily determine your character, but your level of ownership of those decisions that sets you apart from the rest. It is also not necessarily the nature of responsibility you create for yourself in life, but rather your level of commitment to those responsibilities that determine the man you are.
I was blown away recently by a video clip that made the rounds on social media of a man who, for most of his life, shunned the reality of 20-something children with 11 different women.
Yep, stamina for days, if you ask me.
But what made me proud of him, regardless of his hyper activity, was the fact that he eventually stood up, admitted his truth, and committed to owning up to his responsibility.
Immediately my perception of him changed when he took responsibility for the choices he made.
I am sure many others also look at him with different eyes and have much greater respect for him.
Sometimes we make bad choices. Often we’re not even aware of how bad our choices are at the time. And whether we like the results of those choices or not, it is our responsibility to own them.
Sometimes we venture into things that give us results that we never really dreamt of. But it doesn’t matter where you begin in life, what matters is how you end this journey. It is never too late to take responsibility, to stare the truth in the face.
Gents, have you any idea what impact respect has on one’s life?
If people have respect for you and root for you, it makes all the difference and helps you as you journey forward. That kind of respect is earned, the good way – the right way.
Do what you have to do to earn that rightful place in your family’s life, your friendship circle, your work place, and society at large.
Be the man the world needs and be a leader in doing things right. Stop shying away from your truth. Take responsibility for your actions and earn the respect you were born to have.
Take ownership of your life, gents. Till next time, cheers!
