I learned all about taking responsibility from my mother's tough love. My mom had a wonderful way of helping you1up and realize that your life is going to be what you make it.

    She had this circular way of2you took responsibility for your decisions and the person you would3She would say, “It's your4”5,“What you want and what you get are sometimes two6different things.” And then, “No one ever said life was fair.” And she would7these comments together in such a way that you could never8an argument, and yet, the9was that you realized your life is going to be what you make it.

    So I might go to my mom and say, “I'd like to10football”. And she would say, “Well, it's your life. If you want to go out there and get11and hurt and break your knees and limp around the rest of your life, that's fine.” That is12I would say, “Well, you know, that won't13I'm really fast.” And she would reply, “Well, we don't really have the money.” And then I would14, “Yes but that's not fair.” And she would reply, “Well, life isn't15” Then I would say, “But I've been eager to." And she would reply, “Yes, but what you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things.”

    It was the combination of these16that allowed my mother to lead me down the right path under her17but let me feel as if I was making the decisions18my own. The sum total of that19was, in the end, you're20for the life you lead. That's the best advice I've ever gotten.