The Empowering Blame Game

dailyblog.scottdclary.com

Have you ever noticed that as a child, the moment you knocked over a vase or broke a toy, the instinctual response was, "It wasn't me!"?

That reflex, while charming in children, is a roadblock in adults.

Blaming the weather. The economy. The boss. Feels familiar, doesn’t it?

Society has conditioned us to find excuses. Passing the buck is a popular sport.

But here’s a thought:
If you're driving the car of your life, shouldn't you also be the mechanic?

"The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it." - Lou Holtz

Every entrepreneur you admire? They've faced setbacks. Steve Jobs was ousted from his own company. Oprah was told she wasn’t fit for TV. But they didn't point fingers.

They recalibrated.

When we shift the blame, We relinquish our power. To circumstances. To others. To anything but ourselves.

Conversely, when you own your failures, You also claim the steering wheel.

Take Brian Chesky of Airbnb. During its initial days, the platform struggled to gain traction. They even had to resort to selling politically-themed cereals to keep the lights on. Rather than blaming the market, Brian and his team pivoted, improved, and eventually redefined travel.

Luck? That’s just preparation meeting opportunity. Circumstances? They’re the terrain, but you’re the driver.

So, here’s the unconventional truth:

Blame yourself. Not as a self-deprecating exercise, but as an empowerment tool.

Every hiccup, every missed turn, every setback. It’s all you.

But so is every victory, every innovation, and every mountaintop.

The next time you find yourself at a crossroads or in a ditch, remember that you hold the compass and the tools. Own your journey, and you’ll realize the roadmap was never external. It’s etched within, waiting for you to read it and reclaim your destiny.