I take care of something because it belongs to me. My wife and kids are prime examples. It’s my desire to work hard every day to make sure that they have everything they need. Not that they are slaves to me but that my family is my responsibility.

My professional life is the same way. When I’m told that I’m an “account owner” or that I am “owning” this particular portion of the department or the business, I take responsibility over it and treat it as mine. I’m also much more willing to vouch for the work and job done if I have responsibility for the finished product.

There is a great deal of pride in a job well done that accompanies this mindset by default. I find a lot of fulfillment in taking a project from the beginning stage all the way through to fruition. Those kinds of things are the ones I have a hard time passing off to someone else because I am the producer, creator, and developer.

The flip side is that I also have a hard time delegating. Maybe I need to spend more time being willing to let go of certain things so that I can spend time and energy on what really matters to me. I will always be responsible for the well-being of my family. I will always be responsible for my personal development and using my gifts for the glory of God and for the good of others. I will not always be responsible for the specific outcomes in either of those areas.

I am results-driven. But I never want to be so focused on what comes as a result that I forget to enjoy the journey.