If I am unwilling to take responsibility for the attainment of my desires, they are not really desires—they are merely daydreams.
Nathaniel Branden, The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
Accountability means answering or accounting for your actions and your results.
“Accountability breeds response-ability,” said Stephen Covey.
Do you truly feel like you take responsibility for your day, your life, your actions, your mistakes?
The first step in achieving anything is taking full ownership. You must believe that you are in control. There are multiple different ways to hold ourselves accountable, but there’s also nothing wrong with being vulnerable and asking for help. When our dreams and goals seem too far out of reach, calling in some reinforcement is the perfect move.
Research shows that you are twice as likely to achieve your goals when you share them with somebody. Studies also show that a new habit is likely to stick more when we set a specific time to report back to someone on your progress. We can credit the principle of reciprocity (one of the six forms of persuasion ) to be why the relationship with an accountability partner is so powerful. If you do something for me, I feel compelled to pay you back and do something for you. And in the case of accountability, the best thing to do is keep my word by achieving the goal I set out to do.
According to a study done by the Association for Training and Development (ATD), “Your probability of achieving something depends on being specific and committed. If you simply have an idea or goal, you are against all the odds. Consciously deciding to achieve something increases your chances from 10% to 25%. Once you choose when and have a clear how, your chances of succeeding become 50%. Social commitment dramatically increases your odds.When you commit to someone that you will do it, stretches your probability to 65%. Moreover, when you create a specific accountability appointment with a person you are committed to, the odds are in your favor: 95%.”
Thomas Monson said, “When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates.”
Andrea
To me accountability is taking responsibility for the route of your life.
We all know that person that sucks at taking accountability for what they say or do. They don’t know how to apologize or admit their wrongdoings. Let’s give them a thought, acknowledge that they’re bad at it… now let’s focus on you. This is about you, not them. We have no control over them taking accountability for anything.
“Adults cannot hold another adult accountable. Accountability is an internal process. We cannot ‘get’ someone to change or make someone see anything they’re not ready and willing to see,” expressed Dr. Nicole LePera, “The Holistic Psychologist. As frustrating as that may be to hear, she’s right. You can’t make anyone truly accountable for anything because accountability comes from within. So let’s turn back inward and remind yourself that nobody should expect more from you than you.
If you want an abundant life, it’s important to know what that means to you- what do you want your life to look like, your space to feel like, your free time to include? Does it look that way? Are you working towards shifting it to that standard?
I think it’s easy to be a victim of our circumstances and of our past. People have been through really terrible situations and life is always throwing curveballs. I’m not trying to discount anything anyone is growing through. However, I do love to read people’s stories of what they’ve been through and how they’ve turned their lives around. The common theme in any of the success stories I’ve read is ownership and accountability- first, to yourself.
Finding your most effective route for accountability- journal, app with streaks, person, God. Own your mistakes and address fallbacks by troubleshooting, apologizing, and realigning.
The more you express your deepest fears, emotions, frustrations, inner critic to someone, the more they can hold you accountable for working on them, facing them, getting through them, and releasing them. How many times do you want to repeat the same story to another person? Never. How many times do we repeat the same stories to ourselves? Every damn day.
Brooke
When im in a moment where I feel so overwhelmed, my mind is flooded with negativity, which then breeds excuses, I take a minute and say “okay what is my truth, what in this situation can I control?” We may not be where we want to be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t lead from the seat we’re in.
The energy you’re wasting creating excuses and blaming other people, you could be putting into yourself and creating a life that you want and that you love.
One thing I wish I would have know sooner- you can’t control anyone but you. What you can do is build your self-efficacy (the belief that “yes I can”) and reach out to others when support is needed.
Through personal experience, I’ve found there needs to be a healthy balance between figuring out ways you can do it on your own, and also asking for help. Since we were babies we’ve had accountability (our parents making sure we’re fed, bathed, etc. to keep us healthy). There is absolutely nothing wrong with accountability and when it comes to our big goals, it’s just what we need to stay on track. But when we seek accountability for our big goals, pay for it. Because when you pay, you pay attention.
Things that help –
- Start small – if it’s not a SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, timely) goal, accountability isn’t going to matter
- Write down your commitment- tracking has a positive psychological trigger
- Work back from your goals- break it down
- Apps – “I don’t want to ruin my streak”
- Journal – track it yourself (schedule it into your day) and work through your thoughts
- Use the internet – there are support groups for everything under the sun
- Find ways that you get motivated. Are you a visual person or auditory, do you need a visual check off, a daily affirmation that’s going to get you in the zone? How do you work? Tune into not only what you want to do, but how you work best?
- If the people closest to you are not supporting you.. do some hard work and rethink why they are in your life. Learn how to set healthy boundaries with these people.
- Build your discipline muscle by doing things on a daily basis. For example, set habits and routines around sleep and waking up (i.e. making your bed). These set up a foundation for everything that happens the rest of the day (your brain loves and needs routine and structure)
- When you fail, write down the reason and what you can do next time to succeed – what did you learn? What triggered or pushed you off course? Address the trigger so you can plan accordingly the next time it presents itself.
Types of Accountability –
- Tell a Friend
- Join an Accountability Group
- Use Your Technology
- Hire a Coach
- Write It Down
As always, find what works best for YOU. If it doesn’t click, it’s not going to stick.
So own it. Take Charge. Apologize. Realign. You are going to get the results you’re looking for when you put in the effort those results deserve. Be fully accountable and use it as a tool for growth and success.
You have all the power you need within you. You just have to believe it.
IVY UNLEASHED
Behind-the-Scenes Video
3 Gold Stars
1. Determine a route for accountability that’s personally effective for you.
2. Write down 3 goals you have for the next month and a daily habit that can support each of them.
3. Practice owning a mistake or apologizing this week, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Ivy Reflections
- What’s your favorite kind of accountability and why is it effective?
- How do you feel when you set a goal and meet it, after utilizing your favorite form of accountability?
- In this next week, who can you reach out to for extra accountability and why are they the best fit for this role?
Piece of Gold
Nobody achieves great success without walking through the fire.
Jen Sincero
Healing Food of the Week-
Looking for a new way to cook cauliflower? Check out our delicious recipes below!
Cauliflower is a great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and fiber.
Healing Properties: It contains compounds that stop enzymes from activating cancer-causing agents in the body.
Fun Fact: Cauliflower is white because the green leaves block sunlight from the “curd” (white part), which stops the development of chlorophyll.
𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐲
Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
https://therealfoodrds.com/loaded-cheesy-cauliflower-soup/
@therealfoodrds
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Lemon and Garlic Roaster Cauliflower
https://www.thespruceeats.com/lemon-and-garlic-roasted-cauliflower-3052527
@thespruceeats
RESOURCES
- Art of Charm Podcast- The Power of Accountability – Episode 703
- Achieve Your Goals With Hal Elrod Podcast – How to Get an Accountability Partner – Episode 300
- Gretchen Rubin’s 4 Personality Types- https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/
- Pomodoro Technique –
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryancollinseurope/2020/03/03/the-pomodoro-technique/?sh=63cefa693985
Don’t forget to join the Ivy League and get access to our weekly newsletter for inspiring stories, strategic wellness tips, and to stay caught up with our journey. We thank you for joining us in the fearless pursuit of self-discovery and growth and hope that you transform our lessons into your gold.
Listen to your truth and go chase your gold.
– Gold Ivy Health Co.
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