Perhaps you are accountable in your workplace, but do you answer responsibly to yourself? Do you frequently, or repeatedly let yourself down or fail to live up to the self-imposed standards you have set? If so, no worries, you are not alone. Welcome to the club ;)
Most people grapple with behaving in a way that is congruent with their values and goals.
Sometimes we make plans that never follow or set goals we never come close to achieving. A good example of this is the noted "New Year's resolutions" that many make, but very few keep longer than a couple of weeks. This way of living can be very frustrating and ineffective for anyone who desires to make progress in life.
So, what can we do?
The bad news is, there is no one to hold you accountable if you do not do it yourself. However, the good news is, there is no one to hold you accountable if you do not do it yourself.
Confusing? ;) Not really, if you realize that you have the power to take charge of your actions and reverse any situation in your life.
Develop self-accountability, and achieve anything your heart desires!
Follow these simple tips to master the art of accountability:
Keep a list of priorities. If you do not have a plan, you will have a hard time holding yourself accountable for anything. Starting each day with a detailed plan of what you want to accomplish is a helpful practice. Such a plan should include things you need to do to maintain your life and all the things, people, and circumstances that help you get closer to achieving your goals.
The first step to self-accountability is: create a "to-do list" and, more importantly, a "not-to-do list" that you take seriously.
Make a doable schedule. Having these lists is not enough. Figure out when you are going to do each item on that list. Decide what is most important, what you need to do first. Create a schedule and make it feasible, so you know you will hold yourself to it with ease.
Start each day with a plan.
Review your performance. Review your work completed each day. You can evaluate a) each task as you do it or b) all tasks at the end of your day. Keep track of your successes and "failures," however, keep in mind that you did not fail. You just learned ways how not to do things.
● What did you learn that could make you more effective?
● What about your performance made you feel good?
● What embarrassed you about it and what made you feel proud of yourself and your work?
Reward yourself or reflect as appropriate. When you do well, reward yourself. When you feel that your performance is not up to your standards, check, review, remember your steps, and determine why you slipped. You might play self-imposed "time out" or "take away" and do something to remind you that you missed that task. Most people have no trouble creating rewards, but here are a few ideas for repairs:
● If you like TV, do not watch it for a month.
● Give money to a charity you usually disapprove.
● Do not allow yourself to ride your motorcycle for a month.
● Park three blocks away from the market for a month.
● Eat only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a day.
● Watch the news for three days (more could be harmful).
Be clear when you set goals. Your to-do list depends mainly on your goals.
If you do not have well-defined goals, it will be easy to sit around and accomplish little to nothing.
You cannot hold yourself accountable without something to hold yourself accountable to.
Start, if need be, somehow small.
What are your five most important goals? Please make a list and review it at least once each day. Be able to recite them without thinking.
Have others hold you accountable. Whether you are training for a triathlon or learning how to buy your first income property, share your plans. You will be more inclined to take action when you made a firm commitment to someone rather than suffer the discomfort of a missed goal.
● When choosing your accountability partner, it is best to have a positive, encouraging, optimistic person on your side. S/he will hold you accountable without sabotaging your efforts and will want to see you succeed. This individual could be a great accountability partner.
Some think that it would be nice to have a drill sergeant to hold us accountable each day. However, we have to manage ourselves. Otherwise, we might not be able to command anything else in our lives.
Let us imagine for a minute what would you be capable of accomplishing if you could hold yourself accountable each and every day?
More likely, the sky would be the limit. However, many of us allow ourselves to get away with regular or less than average accomplishments. Later, as we question our actions, we come up with only a sigh for an answer.
Today you can begin to hold yourself responsible in all areas of your life. Be accountable to yourself, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve!
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