“Leaders inspire accountability through their ability to accept responsibility before they place blame.”
Courtney Lynch
I’m sure most of us can relate to the experience of getting started on a new habit and despite all of the excitement and motivation, after a few weeks, we lose interest. Our New Years’ resolutions are normally the ones that fall prey to this exact situation but we can clearly see that this extends outward toward the people and systems in our lives as well.
The key to success when self-discipline isn’t enough, is accountability. This means holding ourselves, our friends, our neighbors, our government, and everyone in between accountable for their actions.
Why does this work? It brings the goals and ideals out of our heads and into the real world. It lets those around you see what you stand for and this forces you to back it up with real action. This makes you commit to tasks rather than let them fall by the waist side. Not only that, but it increases your focus on the task at hand and consequently, your performance is often better as well.
Accountability is the glue that connects people to their goals and ideals. As we’ve seen clearly from the police force, when accountability is missing, people can develop warped images of themselves and what they are supposed to be doing.
Personal Accountability:
Change begins with ourselves. We can’t expect to change the world, let alone our own lives if we don’t first hold a mirror up to ourselves to see where we can improve. The best way to do this is through journaling if you’d like to remain private about it, or blogging if you’d like to throw it out in the open. You can also write and place post-it notes of goals and affirmations on your bathroom mirror.
Either way, the point of personal accountability is to write down your core values and your dreams/goals so you can back them up with real action. This is enforced by repeatedly going over them. In doing so, we must bring compassion, love, and curiosity to what we are trying to do. If we bring anger, frustration, and greed to our self-reflection, we will be growing the seeds of a hateful, unfulfilling life.
Holding Others Accountable:
Only once we have begun working on ourselves, can we look outwardly to change others. Nonetheless, it is necessary to hold others accountable for their actions.
It takes true courage to stand up to those we love when they are misguided or show prejudice in their actions. It requires hard work to remain centered and not make it personal as it’s easy to get frustrated with their position. Hold others accountable but do so with an openness to help them learn. There are many areas in your own life that you are likely ignorant and blind to the truth. Help them see it just as you’d like them to help you.
How to Make Real Change in Your Life:
Have an accountabilibuddy! Find someone in your life that can hold you responsible for your actions and vice versa. Each night before I go to sleep, I text one of my friends what my top 3 goals/objectives for tomorrow are. This can range anywhere from what I’m practicing on the range, a new mindset I’m trying to establish, or a habit that I’m working to instill into my day to day life.
Find this person to hold you accountable for your actions in your day to day life. Whether it’s someone you live with, a family member, or friend, make sure the environment you create with them is one supporting growth and encouraging effort rather than shaming/punishing each other for not following through. Create a growth mindset!
Real Change Takes Courage!
It’s easy in life to blame others and outside circumstances for our current position in life, but regardless of the situation, taking the mindset of “the buck stops here” is what leads to personal growth and real change in your life and the world around you. Create the world you want around you by emanating the exact qualities you wish to see. Hold yourself and those around you accountable for their actions and sow the seeds of love. You’ll begin to see real change take hold.