The term “personal responsibility” could mean numerous things. To me, personal responsibility means being in control of what one has to do, whether it be during school, work, in public, etc. There are many characteristics of personal responsibility. Everyone has their own responsibilities. People need to learn how to become responsible for their own actions in a personal or professional setting.
Personal responsibility is related to personal and professional success. By getting assignments done in school, one will become successful in earning high grades and learning well. Having personal responsibility sets one up for life. One can achieve personal success by always being on time, never procrastinating, being dependable, being able to prioritize, etc. Prioritizing is one key in succeeding. If one has a long list of what needs to get done, they need to be able to work on the most important assignments first and worry about the least important assignments last.
This goes for bills to pay as well. If one has bills coming up, but wants to go to a concert, the bills are the most important. The money one has left over can go towards more important things like groceries, or towards one’s car if one needs repairs. This would prevent people from being in debt. Being able to prioritize and put oneself in check is essential in personal responsibility. If people in today’s society knew how to take on personal responsibility, they would be able to apply that in a professional setting as well.
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Personal responsibility relates to professional success as well. Being honest and taking full responsibility for what one has done, demonstrates this. If one learns how to become personally responsible, they will show that in a professional setting. In the article, “The Importance of Honesty in the Workplace” by Jagg Xaxx it states, “… Dealing with situations honestly rather than trying to cover them up helps you keep an image of yourself as an honest and worthwhile person” (Xaxx 1). If one makes a mistake in a professional setting, it is better to be honest, rather than lying. A business will not want to hire or keep an employee who shows dishonesty. Honesty builds trust in the workplace. Although, it is not always easy to be honest if one has made a mistake, it shows one’s character and employers really need that.
Dependability is also a key in personal and professional success. Dependability goes a long way. An employer needs someone who is dependable. They need them to be dependable to show up for work and get the work that needs to be done. Dependability leads to responsibility. In the article, “Why is Dependability Important for a Person to Have in the Workplace?” Jonathan Lister states, “If you’re dependable, you require less supervision… Continuing to show dependability and consistency at each job level only increases your value to your employer (Lister 1, 2).
Being dependable shows that the employee is responsible enough to take on tasks and to get them done on time. One’s employer will value one more if they show dependability. Therefore, one will be less likely to become laid off. If one is dependable, on time, organized, prepared, one will more likely become successful in a professional setting. One will more likely obtain and keep a job.
Personal responsibility also encompasses common courtesy. Common courtesy in public places involves showing manners towards the people around oneself, being respectful of their surroundings, being considerate of others, and following the rules. Holding the door open for others is a characteristic of people who exhibit personal responsibility and common courtesy. I would feel bad about myself if I did not hold the door open for the person behind me. Others may view this differently. Some may think that it is not their responsibility to do that. At a food court or a restaurant, for example, it is courteous and one’s responsibility to clean up after oneself. It’s disrespectful to those around oneself to leave it for someone else to clean up.
Smoking in public, for example, is also a controversial topic in today’s society. In my opinion, smoking around children and nonsmokers is extremely disrespectful and harmful to their health. In the article, “Smoking Etiquette” Debby Mayne states, “The key to smokers and nonsmokers being able to get along is having respect for each other and exhibiting good manners” (Mayne 1). One should be courteous to others while smoking, as second-hand smoke is critical to others’ health. Before one lights a cigarette they should ask if it is okay if they smoke. If not, then they should go somewhere else to smoke. Everyone should be courteous of others.
I have many personal responsibilities in my everyday life. I exercise personal responsibility by, handing in assignments on time, going to class regularly, having a job to pay for gas, holding the door open for others, having manners, being prepared for class and my job, and much more. As it is my first semester in college I am responsible for following these, especially at my age. I was raised to be polite, honest, and hard working.
Although, I exercise many characteristics of personal responsibility, there are areas I think need to improve. I think that I should be more personally responsible to pay for bills. As of right now, I am not paying for bills. I do not pay for my phone, car insurance, or anything but gas. I’m honestly thankful that I do not have to pay my own bills, however, I believe that it’s a personal responsibility I need to have. I also think that I should make appointments for myself, rather than my mother doing so. I become nervous about calling strangers, especially in offices. I am considered an adult now, so I need to take on that responsibility. I also think I need to have a credit card to build up my credit while in college. There’s always room for improvement.
Although, my views are personal, I acknowledge that everyone may have different personal responsibilities and common courtesies. I feel as though it isn’t just internal as to why we have our personal responsibilities. I think it has much to do with outside influence. Family, for example, expect one to become successful. This is why many students are in college because they not only have their internal influence, they have external influence as well. Society has many expectations on how people should act. Not everyone’s parents are great influences on how one should act in a personal or professional setting, however, society does. It depends on how people were raised and their values.
My views on personal responsibility are different because it’s personal. Being in control of my own responsibilities is a key thing for me. If one’s not in control, one’s not personally responsible. People need to be in control of their own actions regardless of the situation. People’s personal responsibility can tell you quite a bit about their character. Overall, personal responsibility is key to being successful in life because without it one will less likely become successful, whether it is in a personal or professional setting.
