Personal Development: Wise Words From Jim Rohn
Personal Development: Wise words from Jim Rohn
Jim Rohn is one of the best American leadership, personal development training gurus.
He has a conversational style. The following is not a direct quote, but is written to reflect Jim's content and style, enjoy:
Reasons why I have not done very well
"When I was 25 years of age, my mentor said to me, "As a matter of interest Jim, why is it you have not done very well, up to now?"
Excellent question!
I laid on him, my list. You know the one; The list called, "Reasons why I have not done very well".
It went like this:
I blame the government; they don't know what it's like to live in the real world.
I blamed the company; if this is all they pay; how do they expect me to do well by my family.
I blamed prices; things cost too much.
I blamed taxes: taxes are way too high.
I blamed my negative relatives: they are only out for themselves, they never loan you money.
I blamed the weather, I blamed the traffic,
I blamed my lousy luck; things just don't work out well for me. I'm not one of the lucky ones.
I blamed circumstances.
I blamed foreigners; taking our jobs.
I gave him the whole list.
It was a pretty good list.
This gets me off the hook, right?
This explains and excuses why I'd not been doing very well.
My mentor took one look at my list. He studied it for a while and said,
"There's one thing wrong with your list, Jim. YOU ain't on it!"
So, my mentor made me throw away my old list. (One of you may have found it though, and are still using it).
He made me write out a new list. It contained only one item.
ME!
I was the reason why I was not doing well.
I was reminded of an old prayer that says,
"Not my father, nor my mother,
Not my brother, nor my sister,
Not a stranger, nor my neighbour,
But it's me, O Lord,
That's Standing in the need of prayer."
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Definition: personal responsibility
Personal responsibility means you, not outside people or events, drive most of your results. You own your choices, do not blame others, act to fix what you can, and learn from each result to grow.
Show CG4D Definition
- You accept that your own choices create most results
- You stop blaming other people or outside events
- You take action now to improve the situation
- You study each result and use it to grow
Article Summary
Jim Rohn reminds us that progress begins the moment we throw away our list of excuses, put our own name at the top, and accept that only we can steer our personal development towards lasting success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
Who was Jim Rohn and why do people quote him?
What is the main lesson in the Jim Rohn blame list story?
Why does putting yourself on the list help personal growth?
How can I stop blaming outside factors for my results?
What role does a mentor play in self improvement?
Are excuses ever helpful, according to Jim Rohn?
How does personal responsibility link to long term success?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2023 found that staff who have regular growth talks with a mentor are 3.2 times more engaged and almost three times more likely to reach their goals. The 2024 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report says 94% of workers would stay longer at an organisation that invests in their personal growth.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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Further Reading in Personal Development
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Personal Development: Wise words from Jim Rohn
Discover Jim Rohn wisdom on personal development and learn why success starts when you stop blaming others and take full responsibility for your growth.
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Learn From Your Mistakes
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How to Develop Dr Carol Dweck's Growth Mindset
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