Jordan Peterson says people who succeed in almost everything they do always take full responsibility for these 7 areas of their life

"The way that you make people resilient is by voluntarily exposing them to things that they are afraid of and that make them uncomfortable."

When I first heard Jordan Peterson say this, I was sitting in my therapist's office at 36, completely burned out and wondering how I'd gotten everything so wrong.

I'd spent years climbing the corporate ladder, checking all the boxes of what I thought success looked like, yet I felt more lost than ever. That's when I discovered Peterson's work on personal responsibility, and it completely transformed how I approach life.

What struck me most wasn't just his academic credentials or clinical experience, but how he consistently emphasizes that successful people don't wait for life to happen to them. They take radical ownership of every aspect of their existence.

After diving deep into his lectures and writings, I've identified seven critical areas where this principle of total responsibility makes all the difference.

If you're ready to stop making excuses and start creating real change, these are the domains you need to own completely.

1) Your physical health and vitality

Peterson often says, "Start to stop doing what you know to be wrong", and for many of us, that begins with how we treat our bodies.

When I was deep in my achievement addiction, I'd work 14-hour days fueled by coffee and whatever was convenient. Exercise? That was for people with free time.

Sleep? Optional. I told myself I was too busy succeeding to worry about health.

But here's what Peterson teaches: Your body is the vehicle for everything you want to accomplish. When you neglect it, you're essentially saying you don't deserve to feel good or perform at your best.

Taking responsibility means scheduling that workout, preparing real meals, and actually getting those eight hours of sleep.

Think about it this way: Would you put cheap fuel in a Ferrari? Then why do we treat our bodies worse than we'd treat an expensive car?

2) Your emotional regulation and mental health

"You cannot be protected from the things that frighten you and hurt you, but if you identify with the part of your being that is responsible for transformation, then you are always equal to the challenge of the moment."

This Peterson quote hits differently when you're actually in therapy, learning to sit with uncomfortable emotions instead of immediately problem-solving them away.

I used to think managing emotions meant suppressing them or powering through. That worked until it didn't, and at 36, everything came crashing down.

Taking responsibility for your mental health means acknowledging when you need help. It means doing the inner work, whether through therapy, meditation, journaling, or whatever helps you process emotions healthily.

You can't control what happens to you, but you absolutely control how you respond.

3) Your career and contribution to society

When Peterson talks about "competence hierarchies", he's not just being controversial. He's pointing out that successful people understand they must provide value to move up in any field.

I made a conscious choice to earn less money for more meaningful work. Was it scary? Absolutely.

But taking responsibility for my career meant asking myself hard questions: Am I just collecting a paycheck, or am I actually contributing something valuable? Am I developing skills that matter? Am I solving real problems?

This doesn't mean everyone needs to quit their job and follow their passion. Sometimes responsibility means staying in a position to support your family while building skills on the side.

But it always means owning your career trajectory instead of blaming the economy, your boss, or bad luck.

4) Your personal finances and resources

Here's something Peterson emphasizes that changed my perspective: Order in your personal life creates the foundation for everything else. And nothing creates chaos quite like financial disorder.

During my analyst days, I saw plenty of high earners living paycheck to paycheck, always one emergency away from disaster. They'd blame the cost of living, unexpected expenses, anything but their spending habits.

Taking financial responsibility means tracking where your money goes, living below your means, and building that emergency fund even if it starts with just $20 a week.

You don't need to become a financial expert overnight. Start by honestly assessing where you are, then take one small step toward improvement. That's what responsibility looks like in practice.

5) Your relationships and social connections

Peterson frequently discusses how "you should choose people who want things to be better" as companions. But here's the catch: You also need to be someone who makes things better.

Taking responsibility for relationships means acknowledging your role in conflicts. It means apologizing when you're wrong, setting boundaries when needed, and investing time in people who matter.

After my burnout, I had to face the uncomfortable truth that I'd been a pretty absent friend, always too busy with work to maintain real connections.

Now I schedule friend dates like I schedule my 90-minute writing blocks. Because relationships don't just happen; they require intention and effort. If your relationships are suffering, ask yourself what you're contributing to that dynamic.

6) Your personal growth and education

"Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today." This Peterson principle revolutionized how I approach learning.

Successful people never stop growing. They read books, take courses, seek mentors, and constantly challenge their assumptions. But here's what sets them apart: They take responsibility for their own education instead of waiting for someone to teach them.

When I transitioned from finance to writing, nobody handed me a roadmap. I had to seek out resources, practice daily, and accept that early attempts would be terrible.

Taking responsibility meant admitting what I didn't know and doing something about it, rather than using ignorance as an excuse.

7) Your meaning and life purpose

This might be the most important area of all. Peterson argues that life without meaning is unbearable suffering, and only you can determine what makes your suffering worthwhile.

Taking responsibility for meaning doesn't require finding some grand cosmic purpose. It means identifying what matters to you and aligning your actions accordingly.

For me, it meant acknowledging that chasing external validation would never be enough, that I needed work that felt meaningful even if it paid less.

What gives your life meaning? Family? Creative expression? Helping others? Whatever it is, own it completely. Stop waiting for purpose to find you and start creating it through your choices and actions.

Final thoughts

Taking full responsibility for these seven areas won't make life easy. In fact, it might make things harder initially because you can no longer blame circumstances or other people for your situation. But that's exactly the point.

When you own every aspect of your life, you gain the power to change it. You stop being a victim of circumstances and become the author of your story.

Sure, you can't control everything that happens, but you absolutely control your response to it.

Start small. Pick one area that needs attention and take one concrete action today. Schedule that doctor's appointment. Open that savings account. Reach out to that old friend. Sign up for that course. Whatever it is, do something that moves you forward.

Because at the end of the day, nobody else can live your life for you. The question isn't whether you'll take responsibility; it's whether you'll do it consciously and deliberately, or wait until life forces your hand. Choose wisely.