Empty Promises
Accountability is the bridge between commitment and results.
Have you noticed how difficult it is to keep a promise to yourself but relatively easy to keep a promise to others? That’s certainly the case for me. My follow through on personal goals is creeping to an acceptable level, but it’s still not where I’d like it to be.
Why do we do this? I’ve given it a lot of thought lately; here’s what I’ve come up with:
It’s easier to let ourselves down because we don’t have to suffer reprimands, dislikes or being viewed as irresponsible by someone else. Deep down we want to please others.
Working on our own stuff is hard. There’s usually a reason we’ve set a goal. It’s often because we’ve avoided an area of our life that needs attention. We’ve avoided it for a reason - it’s unpleasant, uncomfortable or difficult.
We may not think we deserve all the time that’s necessary to achieve our goal. We don’t find ourselves “worthy.”
I’ve recently discovered a sure fire way to keep the promises I make to myself. I’m sure I’ve heard of its effectiveness before but hadn’t experienced it in a meaningful way until a short while ago. It’s finding someone to hold me accountable. Accountability bridges the gap between a commitment to myself and a commitment to others, helping me finally cross over to The Land of Decent Self-Care.
Writing this blog is one example of how accountability has helped me grow. Because I’ve made a promise to my subscribers to write semi-monthly posts, they get done without fail. I’d feel like a fraud if I didn’t consistently follow through on that commitment. I’m also writing a novel. A couple years went by where I wrote in streaks, writing for several days or weeks in a row, then leaving the novel behind for other projects. I’ve recently signed up for a writing coach and class. We’ve agreed on a specific number of pages to write each month. Now I’m now staying on track and my dream of being a novelist is becoming a reality.
You may have had similar experiences with diet and exercise. Having to check in with a personal trainer or accountability buddy is proven to help habits stick and routines develop. Sometimes just committing to something out loud in the presence of friends, family members or co-workers will be enough to help us keep our promises to ourselves.
Why does accountability work? I’ve done a little research.
Accountability can help us set clear goals. We tend to define what we want to achieve which leads us down a clear path to getting what we’re seeking.
Accountability improves our focus. We’re less likely to get distracted with other tasks because we know someone is counting on us to deliver our promised results. We know there are a limited number of hours in a day and they need to be used wisely.
Accountability can help by providing us with someone to cheer us on, boost us when we’re struggling, and celebrate our successes with us.
According to a Linked in article, committing to a goal publicly will increase your chances of completing the goal from 40% to 65%. If you do weekly check-ins, your chances go up to 95%.
How does it feel?
Fantastic! Just today, I turned down a lucrative writing opportunity that would have taken time away from my own projects. I woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat fearing how the commitment to this other person’s goals would affect my own and knew I had to keep my word to myself. And I met with my novel coach this morning. Monthly writing goal met! Meeting goals gives a sense of pride and confidence that is difficult to find any other way.
An Opportunity
I’d like to offer you the gift of accountability. Beginning in November, paid subscribers will receive suggested goal areas each month related to my Substack posts. You’ll also be able to share your goal publicly with our accountability group. We’ll check in occasionally to see how you’re faring. You’ll also receive cute screen saver and poster downloads to remind you of your goal. Everyone will continue to receive the blog post, whether paid or not. It’s simply a thank you perk for those who have committed financially.
Thank You
Finally, thank you for holding me accountable. Knowing there are people out there who read these posts regularly helps me reflect on life, improve my writing skills and get my ideas out of my head and into the universe. I hope you find them useful too.
Resources
10 Reasons Why Personal Accountability Is Important
Paid subscribers get:
the opportunity to support this newsletter
a monthly challenge to boost your mental health, an optional accountability group, and reminders and motivators
my everlasting gratitude