Radical Responsibility: How To Take Authority Over Yourself

No matter how difficult the task is, accepting responsibility is the first step towards change in our personal life and community.

As we enter adulthood, taking responsibility for personal or community issues can be intimidating. But why is this so hard? By accepting it, we no longer have the comfort of blaming our unhappiness on others.

Let me be clear: this does not mean others aren’t at fault for much of our unhappiness.

This can come from challenges caused by parents, exes, or our environment. But blame only draws us away from maturity and contentment. Self-love truly begins when you take responsibility for your actions, reactions, and habits.

Now, let’s unpack this complicated truth.

Why is responsibility different for Gen Z?

Responsibility is different for Gen Z because we were born into a world full of existential threats.

For example, the climate crisis is a huge issue that can be helped once we start to take responsibility.

While hanging out with a good friend over the holiday break, he littered on the sidewalk. I then confronted him to which he responded, “The world is already trashed. Me throwing this plastic onto the ground isn’t going to make any difference.”

In some ways he was right. Making an environmental impact can feel impossible. Especially, when there are just five global corporations responsible for nearly 25% of all trash.

I realized, however, that for this issue, taking responsibility isn’t just about fixing the problem. This is about changing our habits.

For example, biking to work instead of driving isn’t going to single-handedly solve the issue of climate change. But by creating this habit, we align our actions with our beliefs. When we do this, we invest in our long-term well-being.

No matter what we believe, we must have the discipline to turn this into reality. By stripping away these faulty habits, we start to become who we want to be.

We strive to live a more responsible life even when we aren’t at fault for the issue.

Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, highlights the difference between fault and responsibility:

“Fault is past tense. Responsibility is present tense. Fault results from choices that have already been made. Responsibility results from the choices you’re currently making every second of every day.”

For Gen Z, we must take responsibility even when we may not be at fault.

Responsibility for the faults of others

Taking responsibility for our personal lives is another challenge to tackle.

Let’s try to put this into perspective:

I once had a friend whose parents were prone to having outbursts of anger. As he grew up, he found himself acting like this too.

One day, he had an outburst against his roommates for not doing their dishes. Though he later apologized, his roommates were still upset. He explained that he mimics the behavior of his parents.

Rather than taking accountability for his actions, he blamed them.

It’s times like these that responsibility can feel like a burden. Although his family introduced him to this behavior, he is nonetheless responsible for breaking these patterns. He must take authority over his reactions.

“It’s a liberating concept. Help is not coming. The responsibility is yours, and it starts with developing a belief or habit of mind that you, as an individual, are accountable for the quality and timeliness of an outcome, even when you’re working with others.”

– John Coleman

Though it may feel like an unfair process, we are responsible for making things right where others might have done us wrong. The better we can understand this, the quicker we can make a change.

With great responsibility, comes great power

We’ve all heard the Uncle Ben quote from Sam Raimi’s original Spiderman film:

“With great power, comes great responsibility.”

Mark Manson points out that a better version of this quote can be formed. Simply swap the two nouns: with great responsibility, comes great power.

Looking at history, some of the most profound leaders came into existence because they stepped up and carried the burden of radical responsibility.

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw how African Americans were being mistreated in the United States, he did not wait for others to make a change. He stepped up, studied, protested, and organized.

Although he was not at fault, he took responsibility, and with that came great power.

In this time more than ever, the world needs radically responsible young adults.

People that will help lead our society to a stronger and more unified place. Ways to achieve this may look different, but it starts when you realize that you deserve the best.

Two versions exist within yourself: the child, who dreamt of one day growing up and changing the world, and the future version of you who is yet to exist.

Taking responsibility is taking care of both versions. You’re choosing to love and protect that little boy or girl and make them feel proud, strong, and loved. At the same time, you’re taking control over what you and the world will become.

A lifelong habit

Taking responsibility is not about getting to a means of an end. You’ll never arrive at a point in your life where you can safely stop taking responsibility.

Remember, we’re human beings, inherently imperfect, and that’s okay.

Falling into patterns of neglect is a fact of life, especially when you’re young. When you experience setbacks, remember to be radically honest with yourself. Then gradually make progress day by day.

Keep a journal and write down goals for certain points of responsibility you want to work on. For example: getting involved in the community once a month or calling loved ones every week. At the end of the year, write down certain actions, thought patterns, or habits you’ve added to your life. These habits should align with who you aspire to be.

It’s also important to note that responsibility does not look the same for everybody. It is up to every individual to look inward and decide what responsibility uniquely means to them.

Remember, you are the only person responsible for your happiness and how you see the world. No one else.

When others witness how you took responsibility, they will be inspired to do it themselves.

Together, by improving our ability to be true to ourselves and taking authority over how we move through this life, we can create change.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

– Rumi