3 Things You Are Not Accountable For

You are accountable for your choices and actions. But, is there anything that you are not accountable for? Yes, of course.

Here are three things that you are not accountable for:

Other People

You are not accountable for other people’s choices and actions or even what they think of you.
Certainly, you are responsible for how you interact with and influence other people. And you should desire to live at peace with others and to be a blessing to them.

Sadly, while you might say or do something with the best of intentions, you could be misunderstood by others. Despite your best efforts, sometimes you cannot fix a problem, as the psalmist lamented, “I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war” (Psalm 120:7).

But, just as you are responsible for your own choices and actions, so others are responsible for their own choices and actions.

Circumstances Beyond Your Control

You have limited control over external circumstances. You regularly encounter unforeseen situations. You face obstacles and setbacks that you might not have the power to correct.

By all means, do what you can, when you can, where you can, and how you can. But also recognize that you will always experience things that you cannot direct. Plan ahead for how you will choose to act in those situations.

In all these things you should avoid developing a victim mentality. You still have plenty of things that you can and must manage—starting with yourself. Do your best and leave the results to God.

Your Ultimate Success

As strange as it may sound, you are not responsible for your ultimate success. You might not achieve your goal for any of these reasons:

• You change your definition of success.
• Your success requires the participation of other people.
• Your progress is stymied by circumstances beyond your control.

To avoid failure in these ways, be sure to craft your goal deliberately and make your success primarily dependent upon your own choices and actions.

Conclusion

You are accountable for yourself. So, do your best with who you are and what you have. Focus on what you can control: your choices and actions.

When you encounter obstacles to your success, be sure to communicate with your accountability partner about these issues. Brainstorm possible solutions and adjust your plan accordingly.

Keep improving and keep moving forward!