Responsibility

By Hope Morgan, 2nd dan

When I think about responsibility, I gravitate towards thinking about my responsibilities to others. I think about the various things I’m expected to do at school, work, and home. I think about the roles I’m expected to assume and the ways in which I’m expected to act. And while the concept of responsibility in this sense is incredibly important and worth discussing, hardly ever do people think about their responsibilities to themselves. This, in my opinion, is most important.

There is a blunt simple truth that begs to be mentioned - no one, despite how amazing they may be, has the true power to change your life. Can they be impactful? Of course! But the real power… That is something that completely resides in one’s own self. YOU are virtually responsible for everything in YOUR life. Someone lacking will will find it eminently difficult to change anything about their lives. It is all dependent on your personal responsibility.

This realization of all of my personal responsibilities hadn’t completely hit me until I had tested for my 1st degree Moo Sul Kwan black belt and it really came to settle in when I began college. My success was completely dependent on the amount of work I was willing to put in. Taking responsibility for myself has given me the power to create exactly what I want to create in life and achieve exactly what I want to achieve in life. I am responsible for attaining what I desire.

This notion quickly becomes clear to everyone in the Colorado Taekwondo Institute. CTI is one of the few places where one can experience all angles and facets of what responsibility is, but a strong personal responsibility is what really makes a student shine. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful group of people - students and instructors ready and willing to support others. I love knowing I have classmates who will push me in every class and an instructor ready to urge me forward. But my real salvation comes in knowing that despite all of that wonderful support, my success is my responsibility. I’m in charge of pushing myself and I’m responsible for taking the necessary steps in order to attain my goals. Just knowing that my progress rests on my shoulders gives me the most motivation. I want to be the best that I can be for myself.

This way of thinking has transcended into everything I do and I have only benefited from it. College operates on the same basis a CTI Taekwondo does. Spend the time and make the effort and your grades and learning will reflect that. If you can adopt this way of thinking, you will find yourself more successful. Take responsibility for yourself.