[Next Level Success Step 1] Take 100% Responsibility

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Today, I’m excited to share the first step from my Next Level Success: 10 Steps to Double Your Revenue free workbook. This principle is the cornerstone of achieving success in your business and life: taking 100% responsibility.

Before we dive in, if you haven’t already downloaded the free workbook, head over to https://www.askfleur.com/next-level It’s packed with tools and strategies to help you grow your business, and it’s the perfect companion as we work through these steps together.

Why Taking Responsibility Is Essential

The concept of taking 100% responsibility comes from Jack Canfield’s The Success Principles, specifically the formula:
 

Event + Response = Outcome

This means that while you can’t control every event in your life, your response to those events directly influences the outcome. It's not just about reacting calmly—it’s about adopting a mindset of ownership over every decision and action.

This principle has guided me throughout my career, and I’ve seen its transformative power firsthand. I’m currently training to become an accredited Success Principles coach, and I couldn’t be more excited to share this approach with you.

A Real-Life Example: My Passport Adventure

Let me illustrate this principle with a personal story. About 11 years ago, I was heading to Bali for a much-needed holiday. When I arrived at the airport, I discovered that my passport didn’t meet the six-month validity rule required for travel. I was devastated—but instead of reacting with frustration or blaming others, I took ownership of the situation.

I asked the airline staff what I could do, and though they joked about going to the city’s passport office, I decided to give it a shot. My brother, who had dropped me off, returned to drive me to the office. Despite being told there were no guarantees, I completed the paperwork, waited patiently, and miraculously received a new passport that same day!

Why was this possible? Because I responded with calm determination rather than reacting with anger or hopelessness. This experience taught me the immense power of taking responsibility and controlling how I respond to challenges.

Applying This Principle to Business

In business, the principle of 100% responsibility is a game changer. For example:
- Client Relations: If a client doesn’t understand how you can help, don’t get frustrated—educate them. Create resources (like this workbook!) to demonstrate your value.
- Team Dynamics: When conflicts arise, focus on your response. How can you communicate more effectively to improve outcomes?
- Unexpected Events: Whether it’s an economic downturn or a global pandemic, shift your mindset from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What can I control and improve?”

By taking responsibility for your reactions and actions, you can shape the outcomes in your business and life.

How to Get Started

Here’s a simple exercise to practice this principle:
1. Reflect on a recent event where the outcome wasn’t what you hoped.
2. Identify how your response influenced the result.
3. Consider what you could have done differently to achieve a better outcome.

For a full exploration of this concept, download my free workbook, Next Level Success: 10 Steps to Double Your Revenue. It includes prompts to help you reflect and apply this principle to your business: https://www.askfleur.com/next-level

Give Up Blame, Complaints, and Excuses

Jack Canfield emphasizes three things you must give up to truly take responsibility:
- Blaming: Stop pointing fingers at others or external factors.
- Complaining: Instead of complaining, focus on solutions.
- Excuses: Own your mistakes and commit to improving.

We all fall into these habits occasionally, but the key is to recognise and minimise them. The more you practice, the better you’ll become at leading with responsibility and achieving the outcomes you desire.

Your Turn

Try this: For the rest of the day, observe how you react to events. Are you responding calmly and with ownership, or are you falling into blame, complaints, or excuses? Reflect on how you can change your response to influence a better outcome.

Let me know how this exercise works for you—I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

Here’s to taking responsibility and achieving Next Level Success!

Download your free workbook at https://www.askfleur.com/next-level and stay tuned for the next step in this series!