Personal Responsibility

M.L. Carr, a former player for the Boston Celtics, related that during one game when the Celtics weren't playing particularly well, Larry Bird came to the huddle and said "You guys wanna win?" The other players answered "Yeah". Bird then said emphatically "So gimme the ball and get out of the way...." [Carr laughed hard as he told the story]

The Rambam says in hilchos teshuva that we should see the world as being held on the balance scales 50 percent חייב and 50 percent זכאי. One mitzva and the world continues to exist, one aveira and it's over. This means that every individual should feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. Take the responsibility upon yourself and don't rely upon others.