Life is ever-changing. Every day is a new challenge and a new experience for us to take in, and at times, overcome. As our lives evolve and change, we are constantly faced with the choices of how to respond. On the horizon of our lives, there is a parallel that looks interestingly enough like a line. Every response we have to a situation comes from either above or below this line.

“The Line” is the parallel that divides our character and represents responsibility. “Living Above the Line” is a powerful life skill, that comes from the ideology of “Money & You,” a course for entrepreneurs and business people. A foundation for communication and personal interaction, living Above the Line highlights and puts into practice the act of Ownership, or taking responsibility for one’s actions.

The line knows no age limits, and knows no prejudice. Every one of us can live in one of two ways; either Above the Line or Below the Line. When we choose to live Below the Line, our lives become circumstance-driven. We forget ownership and send the message to the world that we are not in control of our lives. People who use Below the Line characteristics including laying blame, justifying, denying, and quitting are ignoring their own responsibilities.

“Laying blame” is quite possibly the most common and personally damaging way to live Below the Line. To a high school student being called out by a teacher for talking in class, this could look like, “She was talking to ME! It’s not my fault!” While the student may think he or she has an appropriate excuse, it doesn’t solve the issue or promote responsibility, and is a guaranteed way to cause frustration.

“Justifying” is another way that we choose to live “Below the Line.” Justification happens when we create reasons why we didn’t perform to standard. “Everyone else is speeding; why did I get pulled over?!” This Below the Line tendency provides reasons for failure in believing that the reason will make everything acceptable.

The next step below the line is “Denying.” “I didn’t do it.” This doesn’t make the problem go away. This obviously ineffective response can cause others a lot of frustration, and make you seem unreliable or dishonest.

The most disheartening form of “Below the Line” living is to “Quit.” You quit when you believe so passionately that you will fail, so why bother even trying? This blatant act of self-sabotage denies our chances for success even before they begin. Quitting is the most profound way to diminish and deceive ourselves.

Fortunately, there is a whole other place to live from. By living Above the Line, we are using response-ability, a life skill which can be defined as “having the ability to respond.” With response-ability comes increasing choices and freedoms. At SuperCamp, an academic summer camp for kids and teens, students learn that living Above the Line means being accountable for their actions and having a willingness to make corrections when necessary. It means looking at the options and finding solutions to become more effective. This thinking leads students to greater freedoms as they use their experiences to move toward success rather than being controlled by circumstances. You determine your own actions.

By living Above the Line, people take responsibility for their own lives. You begin to have greater control because you stop blaming things outside yourself for your current situation. For students, this means learning to take ownership of their education, relationships, and other areas of their lives. They can create a shift in their lives simply by taking ownership of their attitude.

Response-ability is the ability to respond to the events that happen in our lives. When you sit back and accept things that happen to you, you are allowing the circumstances of life to control you rather than taking control of what circumstances come in and out of your life. When you take action, you make life happen for you.

Share on Facebook