Take Ownership

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Are you bored at work? Do you complain about your job, school or life? Do you sit back and let others do the hard lifting? Do people, processes or even acceptable "norms" frustrate you? Or do you just feel stuck in the rut of life and want something more? Whatever the situation might be, you can change it. It's a daily choice. Are you a doer or a waiter? Do you act or let others determine your fortune? Be courageous and take ownership of your life, education, primary job, additional duty or whatever else is not satisfying. Ownership affects outcomes.

Ownership is an attitude of excellence and accountability. Therefore, the first things you need to do are quit thinking it is someone else's problem, stop playing the blame game and decide to act. Be proactive as waiting does not make things better; waiting for things to get worse just wastes times. Find the root cause of the problem then chart the path forward to fix it. These first steps are often the most difficult but worth the time and energy they consume.

Additionally, be innovative in your approach and don't slip into a comfort zone because you have been doing things a certain way or seen them done that way for a while. Also, make yourself adaptive to the environment, learn new skills and continue to develop your current expertise. Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo. Since you're investing yourself in the endeavor, place your mark on it. When you dive into something like this, you care more about it, execute better and take pride in what you accomplish. Already, things are better! If you experience set-backs along the way, own those, too; that's how you learn. Besides, if things are too easy, you won't feel the same satisfaction as when shedding your own blood, sweat and tears on the journey.

Taking ownership of something in your life will positively impact you. You will find pride and passion that may have been missing previously. Others around you will also notice. Your increased passion may inspire others to take ownership and act on something in their life or at work.

So where should you look? It could be completing your upgrade training or degree, better managing your ADPE or HAZMAT account, volunteering more time with your kid's baseball team or a favorite non-profit organization or even taking responsibility for a failing relationship. Don't be a victim to school, work or life. Find something with which you are not satisfied and take ownership of it. The benefits of acting far outweigh indecision and procrastination. There really is no reason to wait!