I was talking with a close friend today about the fear folks have in knowing the truth about something.  Not truth about just anything -- like our hair is turning gray or our dog just isn't as bright as we like to think -- but rather truth that matters.  You know, the painful kind.

Absolute truth is, well, absolutely painful most of the time.  We're talking truth like:

• The absolute truth is that diamonds cost a hundred times more than a cubic zirconia.  
• The absolute truth is that staying fit requires pain. That's why it's called working out.
• The absolute truth is that eating a well balanced diet isn't easy.  Vegetables flat out don't taste as good as ice cream.  Or chocolate.  Or a burger.
• The absolute truth is that (for 99% of the population) we can't buy everything we want and expect to survive economic turmoil.  Yep, most everyone could afford good health insurance if it wasn't for our car payments. 
  
• The absolute truth is that if we became remarkably talented in areas that businesses desperately needed to be more profitable, finding work would be no problem.  The pain here is that we'd have to stop the endless pursuit of entertainment and turn off the TV, the DVD player and iTunes (okay, you can leave on the educational podcasts) so we could actually learn something that would make us more valuable in the marketplace.
• The absolute truth is that rigorously planning our business isn't fun, it's hard work.  If we only spent as much time doing that as we did looking for money to fund it ...

I believe personal responsibility is the leading factor that separates the winners from the losers.  Sure thing, there are other contributors like morality, perseverance, education, talent, and a few others.  But none of them seem to have the deep-running impact as does taking a core level responsibility for what happens -- or doesn't -- to us. 

The absolute truth about personal responsibility is that it's the hardest thing you'll ever do. 

It's painful to take 100% ownership for what goes on in our lives.  It's discouraging to know that I'm in the toilet financially for my stupid decisions (got the T-shirt).  It's hard owning up to the fact that I simply wasn't strong enough in my job to keep it.  It's devastating realizing that there's nothing I could do to be good enough to earn eternal life -- if I don't have faith in God.  It's downright depressing accepting the idea that I'm 50 lbs overweight because I take in more calories than I burn off because I don't move my butt often enough. 

Taking personal responsibility doesn't mean keeping yourself in a vacuum.  In fact, the contrary is necessary.  Accepting ownership for your choices implies you also realize you cannot go it alone.  In fact, the first thing I coach my clients (and myself) to do is to surround themselves with five other people who are getting the results they want.  Your five can be relationships through friendship, books, audios, courses, etc.  The only requirements are that you gotta have the relationships and you spend most of your time in deep listening and consideration.

Absolute truth hurts.  It's purposefully designed to be that way.  Wanting to think something is a certain way, doesn't change it to be so.

"What you perceive, your observations, feelings, interpretations, are all your truth.  Your truth is important.  Yet, it is not The Truth." ~ Linda Ellinor

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." ~ Proverbs 27:6