February 21, 2019
Accountability
Of all the current Buzzwords in our Field(s) (Health, Wellness, Strength and Conditioning, Fitness, etc.), the only Term that may be Underrated and Under-Valued is “Accountability” …
Accountability has been thrown around like a baseball for years:
“I need some Accountability in my Life”
“I use my Trainer to keep me Accountable with regards to Exercise”
“I Log all my Food so that I keep Accountable to my Diet”
“there is no Accountability in my Life” …
All of these are valid uses of the Word, but I want to explore Beneficial Uses of the Concept…
Accountability starts with the Individual.
With You, with Me, with Everyone. We are all Accountable to whatever we have deemed as “Necessary Steps, Actions, Behaviors, towards our Desired Intent or Destination” …
That may be as simple as keeping a promise to yourself (I will Value my own Thoughts and Self, I will not stay up Late), or repeating an action to influence Behavior (I will Read for 20 minutes each day, I will not put myself in that situation) …Or it may be as complex as a Layered Matrix of your Life, Job, Education, Relationships interweaving to bring you towards a Goal (the Process of Realizing you Want to be a Doctor, Going to Med School and Passing your Boards {~12yrs}, I will keep looking until I find the right person for me and not settle for anything less than what I deserve)…
Accountability to Self, before others, is imperative for Success.
After all, You are what really matters, and your Word, Attitude and Actions dictate What You Do and How Others Perceive You.
Additionally, Accountability, the Concept, is a Weapon of Mass Improvement!
WMI’s are Tools that push you Further and Faster towards Success.
In the case of Accountability, you can use “Self” and “Group” Opportunities to Grow, and Grow Fast…
Whether you are Wiping Out a Habit, or Building a New One, Changing Your Mind-Set or Leading Others by Example, Accountability can be your WMI…
Start with yourself: What are you Trying to Do?
Identifying your Desired outcomes, even the most basic of Goals, is Important…
Accountability (of Self) is the Conversation you have each Day from within where you Answer: Yes, No and Why to Your Important Questions…
The Conversation, whether out-loud, on Pen and Paper, on your Phone, or a Posted Checklist is the most important initial Detail.
Did I, or Didn’t I?
What are my 5 Action Steps Today?
When My Attitude wavers I will remember Why I Want this…
My Reward of Success is ______ My Steps to Bounce Back are _______
I am not endorsing or condoning any of these Strategies as much as indicating that many exist and the Backbone of all of them is the Honest, Accountable, Conversation with Yourself Every Day…
Accountability to another Individual, or Group of People, can be the Genesis to Success for many who struggle on their own…
Although I feel that this Method is potentially the greatest asset to Success, it is not without hardship…
Are you the type of person that struggles to be themselves around new people?
Does Interacting with new People generate anxiety?
Do you find it hard to reveal what holds you back (and what Inspires you)?
Group Accountability highlights the Gravity-Strength “Pull” of Owning up to your Responsibilities…
You are not telling yourself to get out of the house and go to the Coffeeshop, Gym, Work, etc., you are Making a Pact with someone Else to Meet Them There…
You are Giving your Word to an Individual or Group of People that You Will Be “True” … That “Deal, Pact, Bond, Obligation, Commitment”, etc. has Merit, Weight and “Pull” …
For many, Disappointing themselves by No-Showing, Being Late, Waiting a Day or Not Caring is an Action or Decision they are comfortable with…
But when you Make a Pact or Promise to another Person(s) (Known or Brand New), You are more likely to Meet that Obligation Head-On…
You may be at ease Lying or Distressing Yourself, but Your Conscious won’t allow you (initially) to be that way with someone else. This may be your Biggest Advantage in a Group Setting. You are not at ease with being sub-par with someone New, someone that You Trust, or someone that you Believe In…
Many Gyms work this very Concept to the Bone: Meet our Staff, People, Community, Like Them, and Continue to See Them Regularly…
In some cases, it’s not a “Tactic”, its truly a Path towards Improvement…
You are more “Likely than Not” to Return to a Destination if you Like the Experience and Environment…
Todays “Smarter” Gyms don’t Sell Intelligence or Excellence as much as they Promote Environment, Experience and Improvement…
While some may stay “Judgement” Free, that is rarely the World we Live in…
Changing the “Judgmental Qualities” is something Gyms with a Heart Beat have been doing for at least a decade…
There is a simple Recipe/Equation for Accountability:
What You Say Matches What You Do + You are Meeting Your Obligation to Be Your Best Self= You Being the Best You Can Be….
Your “Why, Who, When, etc. can be Unique and also Vary dependent on the Goal, but you should have Plan that You are Trying to Follow, or even Navigate as you move Forward…
It may be time to Determine if you are Holding Yourself Accountable….
If so, Hooray! You are an Achiever with some Self-Awareness and a Plan…
If not, Let’s find out right now How to Make Your Success Happen Faster by Adding a Heaping Dose of Accountability into your Life, One Serving at a Time…
