Personal Responsibility Essay

Practicing personal responsibility in every aspect of our lives is the safest way to guarantee personal success. Personal responsibility is as simple as managing our life and making our own decisions without giving others the opportunity to dictate the outcome of our future. As the architects of our academic future, we must understand that only we can lay the foundation for our success. It is also important to recognize that having a strong preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in our education is essential in achieving our academic goals. Dr. Ron Haskins with the Annie E. Casey Foundation defines personal responsibility as â€Å"the willingness to accept both the importance of standards that society establishes for individual behavior and to make strenuous personal efforts to live by those standards†. According to Dr. Haskins â€Å"personal responsibility also means that when individuals fail to meet such expected standards, they do not look around for some factor outside themselves to blame†. Dr. Haskins is saying that by accepting our role in society we are accepting the responsibilities that come with that role. That if our responsibilities become overwhelming, we will make the necessary sacrifices or changes to fulfill those responsibilities and we will not blame our faults on others. When it pertains to your education, you must understand that it is your responsibility to always seek improvement in order to become a valuable member of our society. Personal responsibility and college success will always go hand in hand. The moment we decide to seek an education we make a huge commitment to ourselves and others. We become part of a small group of individuals who believe that self-improvement and the pursuit of excellence are the keys to achieving success. As we embark on our educational journey we will be faced with many obstacles that can prevent us from achieving our academic goals.  It is important to identify these obstacles and find balance in our lives by setting priorities and limitations. Always seek help when needed and use your family and career aspirations as motivation rather than challenges in the path towards academic success. Remember that your academic success will always be the result of your work and determination. In 2009 President Barak Obama gave a speech on the importance of education at the Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. In his speech President Obama stated that â€Å"we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter, unless all of us fulfill our responsibilities†. I believe President Obama was highlighting the importance of fulfilling our responsibilities if we wish to achieve academic success. President Obama was trying to teach the students of Wakefield High School that although you can be provided with a blank canvass and supplies, it is up to you to create the master piece. Having a preliminary plan to fulfill your responsibilities and achieving your goals is essential if you wish to create that master peace. You need to manage your time by setting periodic goals and making responsible decisions. You must also recognize your limitations and ensure that your expectations are realistic. Never put more than you can eat on your plate and do not hold other people accountable for your decisions. By following these steps you will ensure a smooth process through your academic journey. Personal responsibility can perceive differently by many people. Your background, culture or morals can be key influential factor in your interpretation of the term. However, although there are several factors that can influence the decisions we make in life, personal responsibility lays with each individual. We must embrace our failures and learn from our past to ensure a better future. We must also ensure that our personal and academic choices are responsible and guided by firm principles, and we must always strive towards excellence in every aspect of our life. Most importantly, we must understand that the choices we make today will follow us for the rest our lives. References Barack Obama’s speech on education. 2009. President Barack Obama. Retrieved from http://www.upi.com/Obamas-speech-on-importance-of-education. The Sequence of Personal Responsibility. 2009. The Brookings Institution. Retrieved from http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/2009/07/09-responsibility-haskins.