Most of us hate to realize we’re the problem. If something went wrong with anything, we’re thinking “I hope I didn’t do that!” Maybe it started way back in whatever sports we played as kids. The game was half over, the score was 123–0 for the other guys, and everyone else on our team was sitting on the bench asking, “Man, what happened?? How did we get here??” Meanwhile, we were sitting there, looking down at our shoes, and frantically thinking, “Don’t say it was my fault!”

Here’s what is easy to miss whenever you find yourself in one of those times… it’s best when it is your fault! True, your grandmother may not talk to you for a few days. Mom may mysteriously run out of dessert just before she gets to you. Your dog may not want to sleep in your bed for a few nights. There may be a For Sale sign on your neighbors’ lawn in the morning. There’s no denying that being the goat is no fun. But admitting you’re the goat is the best way to stop being one.

Consider these situations: [Read more...]