One of the greatest things I’ve learned is the difference between a child and an adult.

When I was a Specialist in the Army, my NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) told me, “Guillen, the difference between an adult and a child is that an adult accepts the consequences of his or her decisions. The adult will accept the consequences no matter if they are good or bad.”

Accountability is the one thing that not many people have. It’s always easy to point at someone else and blame them for your mistakes and decisions. Nobody likes a person that doesn’t take accountability.

Let’s say, you asked me to send you an Excel file by the end of the week. The week ends and you don’t receive shit from me.

You decide to do what any sane person would do and ask me on Monday morning, “Nick, where the fuck is my Excel file?”

I can give you one of two responses:

Response 1: You’re right, I didn’t submit it to you. I’ll get that to you by the end of the day. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.

OR

Response 2: Oh my god – I am so sorry! I had internet issues the whole week. I also had this other project that someone asked me to work on. My plate was full so I couldn’t find the time. I got you by the end of today though.

Which one would you prefer to hear? If your answer is Response 2, I encourage you to unfuck yourself and re-read the above.

If you ever make a mistake or make a bad decision, take accountability. Don’t make excuses, don’t dodge the tough questions, and don’t blame anyone else.

I guarantee that you will be respected more by your peers. Whether it’s taking accountability for mistakes made at work or in a relationship, the person you’re talking to will respect you.