You can be a successful business leader no matter what your background, history, or education level is. It is your responsibility to take responsibility. You need to claim accountability for creating your own future.

Do not let your future happen to you. Make it happen. These are conscious decisions that you make each day through your actions. If you can learn to claim accountability for creating your future, you will be more inclined to drop destructive habits fast, cultivate positive habits, and make being a good leader not just a goal, but a quest.

I grew up in a family that lacked formal education of any kind. I was the first of my immediate family to graduate from high school. My family suffered from the effects of abuse and poverty. I could have looked at my family and said to myself that I had no choice but to end up like that, but I didn't. I chose to be independent and to claim accountability for creating my future, instead of stumbling into it. I grew up in a world of crime, abuse, poverty, and bottom-of-the-barrel self esteem, but I chose to rise above it. I could have wallowed in it, felt bad for myself, and made excuses for never accomplishing anything; I mean really…would anyone blame me? No! Society… My circumstances… My parents…, there were plenty of places to put blame, and excuse myself from being accountable for my future. Don't let yourself justify mediocrity.

Part of claiming accountability for creating your future is choosing your own path, and how you intend to get to your destination. However, do not forget that part of becoming successful is learning to work well with others. Do not get so caught up in creating every aspect of your future yourself that you forget terms like negotiation, intimacy, connection, feedback, community, family, and sharing.

Some of the world's greatest and best ideas were composed through the shared thoughts of many. The saying that "two heads are better than one," is true, but only if each of those two heads first learns to be responsible for their own actions. You are responsible for creating your own future, but that does not mean you can't use some help. Never make excuses for yourself because you had input from some else and the idea failed. It may have been their idea…but YOU chose to implement it.