“One's highest obligation may be to become oneself” (Ballard Phenomenon 149).

“anyone might admit that all men have always held themselves obligated to do their duty... still he could quite logically ask; 'Why should I choose to obligate myself thus?'” (Ballard Phenomenon 151).

“In general, it may be said that the self is obligated to the self to be the (real) self, or else to suffer that one's self-identity be brought into question... if guilt be thought to be the recognition that the identity one has adopted is questionable, then one is always guilty. To accept obligation as a problem, we must finally conclude, is to recognize that the identity of the self is always at issue” (Ballard Phenomenon 156).

“there is an inner or psychic compulsion to accept obligation because failure to do so exposes one to guilt. Guilt at that level is the emotional reaction to possible loss of identity” (Ballard Phenomenon 156).

“obligation tends to be accepted since failure to do so threatens one's hypothetical self or cultural and social identity, or else, finally, this failure may threaten the attempt to be or become one's true or real self” (Ballard Phenomenon 156).

"On the Phenomenon of Obligation" by Edward G. Ballard, 

Tulane Studies in Philosophy

vol. 21, pages 139 - 157,  1972