Most of us think accountability means to be punished for something we did. But true accountability is about allowing us to be the best version of ourselves. The best way for us to grow is by building the principal of accountability. We need to help build a team to help us check in with them, we will be much more likely to do the things we say we are going to do. This relates to working with a therapist when we are looking to overcome addictions, when we know we are going to meet with them and have to answer to our actions.
Let's talk a little bit about the power of accountability.
What's going on you guys? Today we're going to be talking about accountability. I know that that word is not always a word that people like to hear. And, in fact, sometimes it almost sounds like a swear word to some of us.
Most of us when we hear the word accountability, we think about the things that we see in the media or the things that we hear in the media where when somebody makes a mistake and everybody says, “They need to be held accountable!” What they really mean is they need to be fired.
We're not talking about accountability that way today. I want to talk with you guys a little bit about the power of accountability in helping to become the very best version of ourselves that we can be.
I firmly believe that every one of us is built to be continually growing until we die. And, that growth is the most important thing that we can be engaged in in the lives that we're living. And if we want to be growing, one of the best ways that we can help increase our growth is by building into our lives the principle of accountability.
Now we often get accountability backwards. We think that other people need to hold us accountable. But what we need to do is, we actually need to hold ourselves accountable by bringing in other people to hold us accountable.
So, if I want to make some changes in my life, let's say it's the New Year and I've just gotten started going back to the gym (with everybody else and their dog), and I want to lose a few pounds or I want to build some muscle mass or do something like that. If I build in a team that can help to hold me accountable, not because they're going to be there checking on me all the time, but because I'm going to be checking myself in on them, I'm going to be much more likely to follow through with the things that I said I would do.
If I plan on going to the gym five days a week and I don't tell anybody that I'm gonna go to the gym five days a week, it's going to be a lot easier to lay in bed when the alarm goes off and say, “Oh it's not a big deal. I'll start tomorrow.” But, if I know that I'm reporting to somebody that I got to the gym or I didn't get to the gym, I'm much more likely to get up and go. That's why having a personal trainer can be very beneficial.
That's why going to therapy can be very beneficial for people. They know that they're working on changes in their lives and they know there's going to be somebody there that we have to report to. We're social beasts and we'll be much more likely to follow through on those things that we are set up to do.
I had an experience with this just recently with an assignment that I have in my church. I was asked to do a number of different things to kind of help perpetuate some events that we're going to start having for some of the youth in our church. And I held off doing those things that I had been assigned to do until the day before the next meeting that we were going to have. Then when I went to the meeting, like two hours before the meeting, I went and I did all the assignments that I said I would do throughout the week.
And I know that if I didn't have that meeting to go to the next week that I wouldn't have gotten those assignments done—and I wouldn't have made the progress that I needed to make in order to help perpetuate this project that is going to be helpful to a number of the youth in our church. I'm so grateful that we have this touch point every single week with our meeting, where I get to come and be accountable for the things that I've signed myself up to do.
So, for you thinking about the things in your life right now—what are the changes you're trying to make? What are the goals that you're setting? Do people know the changes you're trying to make? Do they know the way that you're going about trying to make those changes? And, are you holding yourself accountable to somebody for those changes?
I challenge you to find somebody in your life that can be that person for some of those changes that you're making, and then take the initiative to hold yourself accountable. And I promise that if you do that, you'll find more confidence. You will find more growth and progress in the goals that you're having. And you'll find a little bit more discomfort, which isn't always a bad thing because that's where the growth really happens.
So, have a great one.
Thank you so much for being here with me. If you found this to be valuable for you, please hit the like and subscribe button. If you're facing particular struggles that you need help with or roadblocks that you're running into, please submit a question. I'd be happy to answer it for you.