Many may wonder from time to time, “Who am I really responsible for?” In a society that relies heavily on what other people think and do, a person may find it easy to become disillusioned. Stand firm, as character is built through the tasks a person takes on in times that challenge because a sense of personal responsibility trumps the circumstances of day-to-day life. In the end, each individual is responsible for his or her own thoughts and actions. In addition, individuals are responsible for how his or her thoughts and actions affect the world. With a charge such as this, each person also has the ability to determine the outcome of his or her professional competence in the field of study chosen. To fully understand, exploration of what roles integrity and accountability each person uses in regard to personal responsibility is essential. A better understanding of personal responsibility will be found through this process.
To start off, an understanding must be established that character is built through the tasks taken on. Committed students set goals and plan out the organization of their daily tasks. The process of setting goals provides a plan for personal responsibility. Pursuit of a goal provides “performance mainly via motivational mechanisms” (Kleingard, 2011, p. 1290). This process enables the goal setter to have more influence in how he or she reaches his or her potential. For a student, graduation is the best goal to accomplish. Setting a goal, developing a plan of action, and keeping it all in focus will show a mature sense of personal responsibility. Many would stress the importance of personal and social responsibility in higher education. One study has demonstrated the theory clearly. The study consisted of a mixture of students, staff, faculty, and administrators from more than 20 different campuses, “believe that personal and social responsibility should be a major focus of
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