Accountability

If I have learned anything about being on a fitness journey – or in life in general, it’s that accountability plays a larger role than I would have imagined. Accountability can look different for everyone depending on your journey and shows up all around us – in relationships, at work, in friendships, financially, etc. Let’s dive a little deeper and discuss why and how accountability breeds results.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, but at the end of the day your reality is what you make it, and it is solely up to you to do the work to get there. If you’ve heard the quote “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” then you understand where I’m going with this. I recently had a friend tell me that I’m not the friend to hold accountable, I’m the friend to support. That made me stop dead in my tracks and made me evaluate how I’ve been moving through life. I kept setting goals but doing nothing to achieve them and dismissing attempts of friends to hold me accountable. It really is up to me, and sometimes a harsh reality check is necessary.

We know that consistency is key in all things. It’s how we create better habits, routines, and reap the benefits of the work we put in. Consistent is defined as unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time. Our key words here are ‘over time’. Now, let’s take that a step further. Accountability is defined as (of a person, organization, or institution) required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible. Do we see how one can’t happen without the other? Creating better habits and routines means removing and altering our currents habits and routines and sticking to them.

If I have learned anything else in life, it’s that change is necessary for growth and doesn’t happen overnight. Change happens slowly and over time and never feels like it’s happening until one day you realize just how far you’ve come. Implementing non-negotiables into your routine and setting check ins allows us to challenge ourselves, get out of our comfort zones, and look at ourselves at a deeper level. If you haven’t been exposed to the five C’s of accountability, allow me to introduce you! Common purpose: this is your “why” – clearly define what your driving factor is. Clear expectations: these define your roles and responsibilities – what changes are you making and how do you plan to execute them on a regular basis? Communication and alignment: maintaining open and honest communication to stay aligned with your goals; whether to yourself or others. Coaching and collaboration: fostering an environment you can effectively adjust to challenges. How can you use your resources to overcome obstacles? Consequences (and results): acknowledging both successes and failures. Achieving your goals will never be linear and will involve failures along the way. It’s how we learn and move on from our failures that defines the journey. What does accountability look like for you right now?

I will leave you with a quote that resonates to me, and maybe it will for you.

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.”

― Molière