One of our biggest freedoms is the privilege of choice. Most people regard having choices as a good thing, although a limited or restricted choice can lead to discomfort and avoidance. In contrast, unlimited choice may lead to confusion and regret of different alternatives not taken. Every day we are faced with choices. Some are easy: what to watch on TV, what books we read, or saving a little of the money we’ve earned. Other choices can change the course of our lives: what friends we choose, who we date, if we will remain moral. Every choice we make will lead us on a different course. What we need to do is decide which path we want to take, and be prepared to accept the consequences. Few people these days choose to take responsibility of their actions and would rather blame everyone else when it’s time to accept the consequences. Being accountable for the outcome of our choices is a hard lesson to learn, but vital for our individual growth.
“Not only is man what he conceives himself to be, but he is also only what he wills himself to be after this thrust toward existence”(Sartre). Each decision you make is a direct reflection on who you are and who you wish to be. A person can have the choice of a paved road and an unmarked path, each would have its pros and cons but they would each have their own individual experience. The paved road could be a smooth, uneventful, straightforward road with lots of traffic. While the unmarked path could be bumpy, ever changing and much less traveled. Each represents a path of life that each person is given, they are responsible for the choice they ultimately make. Life is what you make of it; it is our choice on how you choose to do so.
Many people in this world do not trust themselves and their decision-making skills. We avoid self-awareness by choosing mortality and do not give ourselves a chance to lead on our own. If the consequence of our choice leads to an unfavorable event, we are quick to blame someone else, or make an excuse as to why the choice was not really ours. The fact is, lying to ourselves is not beneficial to us, or anyone surrounding us. By making excuses for our actions we are living in the past and not moving on to the present moment, which is the most important. Having a lack in personal accountability results in blame, complaining, and procrastination. Goals cannot be achieved, visions cannot be fulfilled, and a person cannot grow. The solution involves an entirely new approach. Acknowledge, accept and move on. Because we create our own life, we should be more accountable for what we chose to do with it. Not for anyone else, but for ourselves.
The person who chose the paved path most likely wanted the road of least resistance. They were not looking to shine, or go out of their way; they simply wanted to follow the road that was put in front of them to walk on. On the other hand, the person who chose to follow the unmarked path was looking for a challenge, to stand out and work harder to get to their goal. Although we are each born with different backgrounds, it is our choice to act on our life. Some are born on the unmarked path and must work their way to the paved road, while others choose to not walk at all. No matter what path you are on, it is your choice to make it through and how you do is entirely up to you. For us not to want to be accountable for these choices is keeping us at a roadblock we must pass in order to grow.
Our actions are much louder than our words. Everyone can interpret our choices differently, whether good or bad, but identifying with one another is what makes us a community. Sartre believed, “In fact, in creating the man that we want to be, there is not a single one of our acts which does not at the same time create an image of man as we think he ought to be…we always choose the good, and nothing can be good for us without being good for all”. By being accountable, we each must live and be the best we can be, and therefore lead each other by example. We must all have a clear understanding of our beliefs and values and be accountable for how they shape us. By having an understanding, it makes our choices less of a tedious thought and instead a responsibility to make a serious choice. For those of us who are quick to judge, we must learn to put ourselves in another’s life and reevaluate why that judgment was made, or why we would do things differently.
“You’ve got to take things as they are. Moreover, to say that we invent values means nothing else but this: life has no meaning a priori. Before you come alive, life is nothing; it’s up to you to give it a meaning, and value is nothing else but the meaning that you choose. In that way, you see, there is a possibility of creating a human community” (Sartre). I feel Sartre is trying to say that life is meant to be lived, not for a god, not for your parents, not for your family, but only for you. You can choose to sit around and wait for something good to happen to you, or you can go out and get it done yourself. Which is more rewarding to you? Sartre had a strong belief that choices are what our moral code should be. It is not only just the choice, but also the action, that holds the biggest bearing. Yes, we can choose not to do something at all, but it is the action of not doing it that holds the most strength.
There are still those people who refuse to take action, and make excuses for themselves that things are out of their control, “I’m only human”, and “things happen for a reason”. Sartre says, “People who accuse existentialism of being too gloomy, and to such an extent that I wonder whether they are complaining about it, not for its pessimism, but much rather its optimism.” Existentialism gives us a different look at the never-ending possibility of choices. To make these excuses for yourself, and by not holding yourself accountable you are only holding yourself back. You cannot blame this on being human or on chance.
Achieving goals takes courage, integrity, and resiliency. You may have to make a difficult or unwanted action to get to it, or you may have to admit to making a serious mistake in the process but in the end you can hold yourself responsible for meeting your goal. The most successful people make well-considered decisions, do their best to implement what they believe is the best course of action, and handle any negative feedback or difficulties with grace and courage. By embracing this outlook you are free. By becoming enlightened you learn your possibilities are endless and the choice is entirely up to you.
Tags: accountability, enlightenment, existentialism, human emotions, Sartre, Writing
Tja, das Leben kann so einfach sein, mann muss nur glück haben.