The first step to building resilience is to take responsibility for who you are and for your life. If you’re not willing to do that, stop wasting your time reading this letter. The essence of responsibility is the acceptance of the consequences—good and bad—of your actions. You are not responsible for everything that happens to you. You are responsible for how you deal with what happens to you. Even when we recognize the limits of our own power to shape the world, we can still strive to be masters of ourselves. And that is more than enough work to fill a whole life.
