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Your Choice, Your Life: Defining Personal Responsibility and College Education

In: Social Issues

Submitted By tfeltes
Words 662
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Even though Life is unpredictable we should define personal responsibility is an obligation each of us has to our life’s choices and decisions because we are responsible for financial matters and accountable to our families, and to ourselves. Our lives can be been a series of events that we sometimes have control of and sometimes do not. At times we have to accept situations out of our control, but in many instances, we need to make choices and decisions that have a positive effect on others and so that we are able to move forward and grow (Boe, 2006). Life has its hardships and disappointments, but, if we persevere, we will grow in spirit and overcome what life throws at us personally and professionally (Boe, 2006). Personal responsibility is an obligation to commitments we make to others and, equally important, commitments we make to ourselves. College education is an important way to demonstrate the personal responsibility to ourselves. Personal responsibility is an obligation to the choices we make to we make to others. We need to take control of our lives at a young age. We all should set goals early on and exercise the discipline needed to reach them. Through good choices and decisions we can demonstrate personal responsibility through commitment to others comprised of mantaining financial security, fostering lasting and loving relationship and providing happiness for our families. Early in live, we need to learn to budget and live within our means. Food, clothing, shelter must come first. We should resist buying non-essential items on credit. During difficult economic times, we need to be willing to seek any and all opportunities to supplement income, such as a second job or maybe even a lower paying job. During stronger economies, we should learn to save for a better lifestyle for family. Our motto should be to pay ourselves first. We all are answerable for sound financial planning and decisions leading to greater opportunities. We are also accountable to our family. We have an obligation to keep our families safe by providing shelter, food, clothing, and medical care. We must also have a strong work ethic, in order to contribute to our families and communities. We must also work to build long lasting relationships. Because of the decisions and choices I accomplish these goals in good economic times and bad. Personal Responsibility not only defines commitments we make to others, personal responsibility also includes promises we make to ourselves. Maintaining our health and fitness, demonstrating compassion for others, fostering our spiritual being and honing our intellectual insight, are all important to maintain a balanced life. Setting goals for each of these facets is an example of a well-rounded person and are the basis of most people’s internal commitments. Too often, however, developing our mind and intellect is a forgotten aspect of the personal responsibility we have to ourselves. Our current age of technology and instant gratification to often makes it difficult to develop the discipline and longer term commitment to focus on increasing our intellectual awareness. Turning these technological distractions to our advantage, obtaining an online college education is a great way to fulfill the commitment to sharpen your cognitive abilities. According to Richard L. Weaver of Bowling Green State University, “A College education prepares you for a rich and satisfying life…. If you understand the relationship of clear thinking to living a rich and satisfying life, this helps provide the proper perspective on the value of a college education.” (Weaver, 1994) Many of us have a long term goal to complete a formal college education. Following Professor Weaver’s insight, enriching our lives through increased mental acuity afforded by the pursuit of a college degree is a way to fulfill this self-promise. As with all goals, pursuit of an online college degree can only be accomplished with a specific plan. Developing this plan is the first step in maintaining our personal responsibility and keeping our promised to ourselves.

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