Make these 10 commitments to live a truly responsible life

Accountability means being accountable to ourselves
first – and that requires a special kind of commitment. There are certain
elements of attention and presence that make the kind of engagement I am
talking about possible. We can think of this in terms of what I call choice points .

All day, you and I make choices. What choice do we
make when someone cuts us off, or says something mean to us, or
steps past us in line? What is the choice we make when we see someone
drop off a bag of groceries, or when we get a text from a friend or loved one who
needs a emotional support? Whether we realize it at the time or not, these
choices we make define who we are.

Are we on autopilot? Or are we determined as we
respond to the situation before us? Are we really PRESENT? Are we really aware of what we are doing? Are we making conscious choices, based on
specific commitments we have made to ourselves about the type of person we are
choosing to be?

The autopilot is simple. Maintaining a conscious presence in each
and every one of those moments as our day progresses is sometimes a
struggle.

Responding to our own commitments can be a
struggle. Getting away from our own force of habit is a struggle. The fight
is good. The fight is necessary. If it's not a struggle, it's not a choice
period!

The type of engagement that offers the best possible
response to each choice point doesn't just happen. It is the work of
a lifetime, and it takes constant practice. It can seem intimidating. What I
you notice now, however, is that the long-term practice we
discuss always involves being present in the moment you live
now.

The best practice of personal accountability involves your
current awareness of 10 specific, personal commitments to yourself and
others:

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COMMITMENT N #1:COMMIT YOURSELF TO DISCOVERING AND REALIZING YOUR POTENTIAL…AND HELPING OTHERS REACH THEM

COMMITMENT #2:COMMIT THE TRUTH

COMMITMENT #3:COMMIT TO VALUES

COMMITMENT # 4:COMMIT TO “IT’S ALL OF US”

COMMITMENT #5:COMMIT TO EMBRACE
FAILURES AND FAILURES AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES AND SUCCESSES

COMMITMENT # 6:COMMIT TO A SOUND FINANCIAL
PRINCIPLES

COMMITMENT # 7:COMMIT TO SPACE SECURITY

COMMITMENT #8:COMMIT TO “MY WORD
IS MY LINK”

COMMITMENT #9:COMMIT TO STAY
STRONG WHEN ALL-HELL BREAK

COMMITMENT #10:COMMIT FOR GOOD
REPUTATION

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I believe these 10 INTERRELATED commitments can help us
notice and respond effectively to the most critical choice points of the moment
they arise . They can help us pause, fully engage in the present moment, and
make the choice that is most true to ourselves. Only in choice
emphasizes do we make the decision to uphold the commitments that define us.
Only then can we exercise our agency and live those
commitments.

These 10 specific commitments are the commitments that
people who lead truly responsible lives make for themselves…the resolution of
in their relationships with others…and are constantly renewed throughout the day
meet their own points of choice.

Making these 10 Commitments to Yourself is the first,
essential step in building a responsible life and world – the
step without which nothing happens. Action always follows belief. If you
develop a strong personal belief in the importance of these commitments, and
start to act on those beliefs, you will benefit. If you don't,
you're not going. It's as simple as that. If you don't believe it, you never will
it.