Own It: How Making Mistakes Leads to Greatness

Posted by Onassis Krown on June 20, 2025

The Ultimate Guide on OWN: Empowerment, Identity & Destiny

In a world where so many people feel lost in the noise of trends, expectations, and obligations, one of the most powerful actions an individual can take is to own—to own who they are, their choices, their voice, and their path. OWN is more than just a verb. It is a lifestyle, a mindset, a declaration of identity and purpose. To own something is to take responsibility, take control, and stand unapologetically in truth.

Whether you're trying to own your story, own your business, or simply own your life, the journey to authentic ownership begins from within and radiates outward. In this guide, we’re going to explore the multifaceted meaning of OWN—from personal development to professional success, from emotional healing to spiritual power.

Let’s break it down and learn how to truly OWN.

What Does It Mean to OWN it?

At its core, owning something is about full accountability. It is the opposite of blame. It’s the antithesis of passivity. When you own something, you no longer play victim or point fingers. You stop waiting for rescue and become the hero of your story.

OWN means:

Owning your choices, both good and bad.
Owning your voice, and not letting others silence it.
Owning your body, your image, and your self-worth.
Owning your destiny, even when the path isn’t clear.

OWN is an acronym for:

Opportunity
Willpower
Narrative

When you OWN your life, you seize opportunity, apply willpower, and reshape the narrative on your terms.

OWN Your Mind

It all starts in the mind. The thoughts you think influence the life you lead. Before you can own your reality, you must own your mentality.

Reprogram Your Inner Voice
Too many people are ruled by internal scripts that say, “I’m not good enough,” “I can’t do this,” or “What if I fail?” Owning your mind means recognizing those scripts for what they are—outdated, disempowering beliefs—and rewriting them. Start replacing “I can’t” with “I will figure it out.” Replace “I’m not” with “I am becoming.”
Create a Personal Philosophy
What are your values? What do you stand for? When you can clearly articulate your personal code, you take control of how you respond to life instead of reacting to it. OWNers have a vision of who they are and who they’re becoming.
Guard Your Mental Space
Owning your mind also means curating your inputs—what you watch, read, listen to, and who you surround yourself with. Garbage in, garbage out. Greatness in, greatness out.

OWN Your Emotions

To own your emotions is not to suppress them but to feel them deeply, acknowledge them, and guide them. It’s emotional maturity in action.

Stop Emotional Outsourcing
No one can make you feel anything without your permission. When you say “He made me mad,” you’re giving someone else the steering wheel to your emotional vehicle. OWN your feelings. Say instead, “I felt angry when he did that.” Feel the difference?
Process, Don’t Suppress
Suppressing your emotions isn’t ownership. It’s denial. OWNing your emotions means allowing yourself to feel sadness, anger, fear, joy—without judgment. Emotions are messengers. They are there to teach you something. Listen closely.
Emotional Intelligence is Power
Understand triggers. Learn how to self-soothe. Know when to speak and when to listen. Emotional mastery doesn’t mean being stoic—it means being self-aware and emotionally agile.

OWN Your Body

You only get one body in this life. How you treat it is a reflection of how much you respect yourself.

Respect Your Temple
Eating clean, staying active, and getting rest aren’t punishments—they are acts of reverence. You don’t need to aim for perfection. Aim for alignment. Feed your body with what energizes you. Move in ways that feel powerful. Sleep like your future depends on it—because it does.
Beauty Starts with Ownership
OWN your look, your skin, your curves, your hair, your scars. The more you own what makes you you, the less power society’s narrow beauty standards will have over you.
Health is Wealth
Preventative care, routine checkups, and investing in your well-being are all acts of ownership. Don’t wait until you’re broken to begin maintenance. OWNers plan ahead.

OWN Your Story

Every person has a story. And every story has chapters that are painful, confusing, inspiring, and evolving.

Tell It or Be Told
If you don’t own your story, someone else will. They’ll label you, define you, and confine you. But when you OWN your story—your trials, triumphs, messes, and miracles—you reclaim your narrative.
There Is Power in Vulnerability
Shame dies in the light. When you share your story, especially the parts you’ve been hiding, you give others permission to own theirs too. Vulnerability connects. Hiding isolates.
Rewrite the Ending
Just because your story started a certain way doesn’t mean it has to end that way. OWNers are the authors of their lives. You can’t change the past, but you can write a new ending. Start today.

OWN Your Work

Career, purpose, and productivity are all domains of ownership.

From Employee to CEO of Your Life
You may not run a business (yet), but you can still adopt the CEO mindset. OWN your performance. OWN your skillset. OWN your advancement. The difference between a paycheck mindset and an ownership mindset is the difference between stagnation and elevation.
Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You
OWNers aren’t obsessed with titles—they’re obsessed with mastery. Whatever your field is, become irreplaceable. Take pride in your work, and let excellence be your signature.
Side Hustle or Main Hustle—Be Intentional
Whether you’re building a brand, a business, or a career, OWN your direction. Don’t drift. Set goals, build systems, and stay hungry.

OWN Your Relationships

From romantic partnerships to family dynamics and friendships, ownership transforms how you show up and connect.

You Teach People How to Treat You
Boundaries are a form of self-love. If you don’t set them, others will set them for you. OWNers define what they will and won’t tolerate—and they stand firm.
Be Accountable, Not Perfect
Relationship ownership isn’t about always being right—it’s about being real. Say sorry when you’re wrong. Speak up when something hurts. Celebrate when things go right. Don’t be passive in your relationships. Be present.
Drop the Drama, Keep the Depth
OWNers don't feed into toxicity. They elevate their relationships through honest communication, shared growth, and mutual respect.

OWN Your Time

Time is the most valuable currency you’ll ever have. It’s also the easiest to waste if you don’t take control.

Schedule Your Priorities
Don’t just prioritize your schedule—schedule your priorities. OWNers block out time for the things that matter: fitness, family, finances, fun, and future-building.
Say No with Confidence
Every time you say “yes” to something misaligned, you’re saying “no” to something essential. OWN your calendar. Protect your energy.
Be Where Your Feet Are
OWNers live in the moment. They’re not mentally elsewhere while physically present. Be intentional. Be mindful. Be here.

OWN Your Finances

Money touches everything. And owning your finances means you’re no longer at the mercy of it.

Budget Like a Boss
Know where your money is going. Create a plan. Stick to it. Adjust when necessary. OWNing your finances starts with awareness.
Debt Doesn’t Define You—But It Can Destroy You
Acknowledge what you owe. Create a strategy. Attack it with intensity. Don’t let shame paralyze you—let purpose mobilize you.
Invest in Ownership
Real estate. Stocks. Intellectual property. Businesses. OWNers build wealth, not just income. They play the long game. They leave a legacy.

OWN Your Spirituality

Whether you're religious, spiritual, or seeking, owning your connection to a higher power can ground and guide your life.

Make Space for Stillness
OWNers carve out time for reflection, meditation, or prayer. In the quiet, they hear direction.
Live with Purpose, Not Just Pleasure
What’s driving you? What’s your mission? OWNing your spirituality means living with deeper intent.
Walk Your Talk
Spiritual ownership is more than beliefs—it’s how you treat people, how you forgive, how you show compassion. It’s integrity.

The Cost of Not OWNING

What happens when you don’t OWN your life?

You live in reaction, not creation.
You drift instead of driving.
You blame instead of build.
You remain a passenger in your own journey.

Failure to OWN leads to resentment, stagnation, and regret.

But when you choose ownership, you unlock peace, power, and progress.

How to Start OWNING Today

You don’t need to wait for a new year, new job, or new relationship. You can start now.

Here are a few ways:

Write down what you’ve been avoiding. What do you need to take ownership of today?
Make a list of the areas you feel out of control in. Then make a micro-action plan for each.
Speak affirmations that declare ownership. Like: “I am the author of my life. I am responsible for my results. I am in charge of my energy.”
Find accountability. Join communities, mentors, or coaching that support your ownership journey.
Be brutally honest—but radically kind. Ownership isn’t about self-punishment. It’s about self-liberation.

Final Word: OWN is a Revolution

To OWN is to rise.

It’s to look life square in the eye and say, “I’m not waiting anymore. I’m not blaming anymore. I’m not hiding anymore.”

The moment you take full ownership—of your flaws, your power, your dreams, your voice—is the moment everything changes.

So OWN your name.
OWN your past.
OWN your future.

Because nobody else can live your life but YOU.

Own it. Live it. Lead it.

You are the CEO of your soul. Wear your Krown. Own your throne.

— Onassis Krown 👑

Lateef Warnick is the founder of Onassis Krown. He currently serves as a Senior Healthcare Consultant in the Jacksonville FL area and is a Certified Life Coach, Marriage Counselor, Keynote Speaker and Author of "Know Thyself," "The Golden Egg" and "Wear Your Krown." He is also a former Naval Officer, Licensed Financial Advisor, Insurance Agent, Realtor, Serial Entrepreneur, musical artist A.L.I.A.S., and Travel Partner #20735937284 for discounted & free vacations!

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