Why Accountability is Essential to Reach Your Goals
When you set goals, you begin a journey. You want to achieve something. Maybe it’s to get your dream job or to reach specific fitness milestones. Once you start on your journey, what keeps you on track? Do you have a magical fitness GPS that tells you to turn right after the last set of pushups? Probably not. But if you have programmed accountability into your goal, then you have tangible markers to guide you and keep you on the right path.
A User-Friendly Accountability Definition
According to a study on strategic accountability, true accountability means transparency about what is going on and involves agreement and understanding about responsibilities.(1)
Accountability is about being responsive to a person or organization you respect and willingly taking responsibility for your actions, attitudes, and emotions.(2)
So if your goal is to move out of a dead-end job and into a field you love with tons of room for growth, setting goals isn’t enough. You need to have someone to hold you accountable for taking steps to reach your goals, or it’s too easy to fall back into old habits and end up going nowhere.
Accountability is essential for reaching your goals because it sets up the framework for you to answer for specific actions regularly. Without it, you lack the stability and guidance that being held responsible creates.
How to Use Accountability for Work
You don’t want to lose sight of your career goals, so here are tips for using accountability to stay on track.
Establish a Check-In. One of your tangible markers for your journey is your check-in. You can either ask a person to be your accountability partner, you can use an electronic system, or set up a personal method of keeping an account of your actions. Whatever you choose, it needs to be sustainable for your personality and habits. Don’t set yourself up for failure!
Design a Timeline. Agree with your partner about a regular day and time for your check-in. If you have certain tasks you should complete every day for work but are struggling with, then check in with your accountability partner at lunch to talk about the morning and get encouragement for the rest of your day.
Select a Reward. Be good to yourself. Pick a small something to treat yourself to when you check in. Every time you text your partner at lunch, take five minutes to enjoy a favorite song. This is the reward for staying accountable, staying on the right path, and getting a little closer to your end goals. Of course, you can also do the opposite and set up a punishment for yourself when you skip a check-in, such as no headphones or earbuds the next day.
Accountability for work is not easy because there can be so many outside factors that affect your actions. Sometimes things happen that are out of your control but rob you of the ability to stay on your path. That’s okay. You haven’t stumbled, you’ve just stopped for a moment. The important thing is to start back up with your check-in as soon as possible so you can keep moving forward.
How to Use Accountability for Fitness
Accountability for fitness is similar to work, with a couple of added tips.
Determine Your Baseline. You need a starting point to compare your check-ins to. Write down where you are now and what your actions will be according to your timeline. Some people like to take before pictures so they have a visual representation to use for encouragement.
Remember Your Transparency. You might be tempted to report that you only had half a donut and completed a five-mile walk when in truth you ate an entire eclair and only walked for 15 minutes.
Challenge Your Routine. It’s important to maintain your check-ins, but it’s also important to try new things. If you are ready to try a new routine with a fun accountability partner, check out my November Fitness Challenges!
For accountability please join me at https://paperbell.me/stephanie-maries-coaching for a fabulous Fitness Challenge starting in November! I will help you set attainable goals and be your accountability partner to give you the tools and support to reach them! Whether you want to get stronger or shed unwanted weight, we can work together on your journey to success!
Accountability Quotes
"Being held accountable is an act of generosity and compassion. It is a gift that someone gives us to correct our wrongs, unlearn, and do better for the sake of our own growth. It might be uncomfortable, but it is worth the discomfort." - Minaa B.
"Accountability is a statement of personal promise, both to yourself and to the people around you, to deliver specific defined results." – Brian Dive
“The first step toward success is taking responsibility for your actions.” – Mark Cuban
References:
Easton, L. B. (2016). Strategic accountability is key to making PLCs effective. Phi Delta Kappan. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721716681776
Witvliet, C. V. O., Jang, S. J., Johnson, B. R., Evans, C. S., Berry, J. W., Leman, J., … Hayden, A. N. (2022). Accountability: Construct definition and measurement of a virtue vital to flourishing. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(5), 660–673.https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2109203