The previous post was to make you aware that in the tiniest ways we procrastinate, avoid and abdicate things in our life. This one is about what is it we are not taking responsibility for and how deep that is, and how far it goes in our life.

I was reminded of a moment in my life by Tom Bilyeu. He said he got in trouble for saying getting hit by behind is your fault. Everyone went after him. In an unbelievable coincidence I had that experience and my father faulted me, and here is how that conversation went. It might be an analogy for many things in YOUR life.

So Tom got criticized for saying getting hit from behind is your fault but he didnt explain why. Or at least in the podcast he did this morning with Ed Mylett he didnt

So let me help you out. I tell my Dad I got hit from behind. It was on the East River Drive, The FDR, So many names for the same road. But its was the part that runs along Manhattan on the East side. It was also the part below 125th street. I think it was around the sixties if I remember correctly.

I tell my Dad and he says “How could you do that?” ” How could you be so irresponsible” or words like that. At least that was the meaning that I remember. Hmm that might take us to another place of Freudian meaning. But he was angry at me and also I never got any positive reinforcement. But that will be for my book one day.

So I reply “WHAT!!!” Are you kidding me?” ” How is that my fault, I got hit from behind.” to which he replied. “How could you have been driving so fast that you had to stop so quickly that the guy behind you hit you?” I remember it like yesterday. I replied “that is a ridiculous statement, do you have any idea how crazy it is on the FDR? Its constantly stop and go, It wasnt my fault” He said “I know exactly how Stop and Go the FDR is I have been driving it for 35 years and I have never gotten into an accident”. That shut me up. PS thanks Dad perhaps I am learning that lesson today or at least turning that into a lesson probably 4 decades later. OK I am a slow learner. But I am still learning in extremely deep ways.

Think about that as an analogy for your life. Did I have insurance? Was I driving defensively so that even if the person behind me had poor brakes he or she would have the distance to stop. To this day, decades later, I have one eye on my rear view mirror and I always leave room in front of me so I can move up if I see the person behind me not stopping. I also tap my brakes to catch their attention. Sometimes if I see a huge slowdown. I will slow down way in advance and put on my flashers so everyone behind me can see the dead stand still coming up.

I even remember once probably 10 years ago where I saw the guy behind me was going to hit me. But I was already looking and literally pulled up in between two lanes where I saw room and got out of his way.

Again think of your life that way. Are you moving forward as quickly and efficiently as you can while being careful with contingency plans, alternate plans and sending out signals to the world to help you and or to stay safe? Apply it to your life, your business.

I can imagine, literally a million scenarios that fit this description. The person that goes to the gym and doesnt wear the back brace while attempting to lift too much weight. The person that doesnt get a check up that goes out and runs 5 miles day or one that is overweight. The person who doesnt use their blinker and makes a sudden lane change into their blind spot. The person that doesnt check their balance before they write a check. Applying for a loan before you need it. Literally a million. What about relationships?, online scams? Again endless. Take responsibility for everything it is very empowering.

I cant imagine that I will ever “get hit from behind” in my life ever again. I subconsciously do all of the things I mentioned as part of my driving routine do that never happens again. Now if I can just apply that to my financial life I will make amazing progress.

PS in another amazing coincidence getting hit from behind is the story of my past life. Interesting choice of words. My wife got hit from behind when she was at a dead standstill by someone going 60 miles and hour and that injury has haunted her. But we are going to fix that. This story isnt over yet. Perhaps that will be the catalyst for something even bigger.