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.

No matter the time of day or night, the parallel line that divides our character and represents responsibility is constantly within our vision. Taken from the ideology of “Money & You,” a course for entrepreneurs and business people, “Living Above the Line” is a powerful life skill that helps us maintain responsibility for our choices and actions. As a foundation for communication and personal interaction, living Above the Line highlights and puts into practice the act of Ownership, by taking responsibility for our actions.

Just as the horizon differentiates between the Earth and sky, the “Line” signifies the strength of our personal character. Every one of us chooses to either consciously or subconsciously live in one of two places; either ‘Above or Below the Line.’ When we choose to come from ‘Below the Line,’ our lives become circumstance-driven. We let go of our ownership and send the message to the world that we are not in control of our lives. People who live ‘Below the Line,’ all too often lay blame, justify, deny, and quit as they show the world that they have little to no control over their personal 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.

When we “Deny,” we are committing yet another “Below the Line” fallacy. “I didn’t do it.” This obviously ineffective response can create certain frustration with others and make us appear unreliable and dishonest.

Finally, the most disheartening form of Below the Line thinking is “Quitting.” You quit when you believe so strongly that you will fail, so you don’t even bother to try. When you quit, you sabotage your chances for success even before they begin. Quitting is the most profound way of diminishing and deceiving yourself.

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 what happens to you, rather than just accepting it. When you sit back and accept, things happen to you. When you take action, you make life happen for you.