Giving credit where credit is due

"No matter how you look at it, giving/taking credit can be good or bad."



Credit is something that can either help you tremendously or hurt you terribly. For many, taking credit is an easy thing, however, giving credit is by choice. This is true whether you are giving or taking credit for an idea, as well as, if you are giving or credit in the financial sense. Credit is a responsibility, again financial or otherwise.

From the financial end, credit is something that must be managed and maintained. You must be responsible when using it and be fiscally responsible to maintain it. You must have credit to build a credit file, and to receive other loans. You have to know how to budget your finances to pay the balances as they come due. You must not be frivolous or irresponsible.

The same holds true for giving or taking credit for ideas or thoughts. You can not take credit for thoughts or ideas of others. Being responsible, if someone else has a thought or idea that is worthy of merit, you must give that person the credit. If you constantly take the credit for others thoughts or ideas, you are being irresponsible and untrustworthy. Not giving credit where it's due, will eventually come back to bite you.

As you go through life, you will find plenty of people willing to take credit for your thoughts and ideas. These people will probably advance faster in the work place, they will appear to have many of life's good things, and they will be the hero's to their family and friends. They either don't understand the importance of giving credit or they don't care.

For those that actually have the thoughts or ideas that they are not being given credit for, they quietly stand behind. While there are typically three different responses to this scenario, there may be multiple variations. The first response is bowing their heads and just sinking into the shadows. They are disappointed by not getting their due credit, but they aren't willing to stand up for themselves. The second response is fighting mad. This response is typically a yelling match and occasionally comes to physical fighting. The third response is a little more complicated. It's a combination of the first two, but usually includes a building resentment for each thought or idea that is not being credited correctly.

Relationships are not any different. When one person is constantly taking the credit or being given the credit for everything in that relationship, it takes its toll. Relationships are supposed to be a joint venture from the beginning, so when one partner takes all the credit, it leaves the other partner resentful and unhappy. Relationships take both partners working together, giving just credit, and accepting responsibility for the good and the bad. Each person in a relationship, is individual but also part of the same equation.

Giving and taking credit is not something that should be taken lightly. For some, being given credit for all that they do and are, is extremely important. When you do not give credit where it's due, you are taking for granted that you will always be given the thoughts and ideas you receive now. That may not be the case. There may come a time when the person you are receiving your thoughts and ideas from, will not be there anymore. You may find that the credit you are taking will backfire against you.

The important thing to remember is to always give credit where and who it's to. Do not take anyone for granted.

~Salli~