Why Accountability Matters?
The one key aspect you are missing to executing your plans.
Accountability. Another widely used word but not really executed. Let’s define it, shall we?
Accountability:
required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
As a proud AIESEC Alumni, I have learned and talked a lot about accountability. The most important thing about accountability for me is that responsibility and ownership behind it. So often we say so many things we want to do and then maybe we make a plan for it, but we never get to implement it because we never had a way of tracking completion.
Accountability can mean checking in with your coach or mentor every month and reporting on your goals. This can be a source of dopamine rush for you. Sometimes we shy away from goals because we don’t release as much as dopamine thinking about it (maybe finances or fear are stopping you). For me, knowing I get to report back to someone every week or every two weeks makes me excited. I am proud of myself for completing the actions and I get to share that moment with someone I am inspired by. It is okay to feel good from sharing your success!
I can say a lot about accountability so here’s my twist.
Harsha Helps Twist:
Accountable for yourself. When you were in elementary school, your parents might have been accountable for your behavior. But more likely than not, as you got to high school and college, you started becoming accountable for your own behavior and actions. Own that power. At the end of the day, really make it your goal to be happy with the result and execution of your goals.
Accountable to others. Now, it is not easy to trust yourself alone. We so often let it slide when we forget something. This is where that other checkpoint is helpful. Do you have a coach, mentor, friend that you can share your goals with? You can make this as strict as you need to be. State your intention to your team and then you have multiple people who will be looking to hear back on how things are going. Join the Harsha Helps Patreon community and we can all hold each accountable (and you can hold me accountable too).
Know when you are making an excuse. Even with having a coach, you can make excuses. There are reasonable excuses and not so reasonable excuses. Becoming self-aware of your behaviors will help you realize when you are shying away from completing something. My best example is launching Harsha Helps. I kept pushing it as you saw in my launch story but because “I couldn’t do it” and “I don’t have time.” In reality, that was all an excuse, it was just my fear and lack of a plan to make it happen. We have time in this world, just use it wisely; at the end of the day, the only person waiting to do something is you. That is what I told myself and that is what I am telling you. The reason I say reflection is the most important part of your day and week and life is that you have to bring your behaviors and progress to your conscious mind. Notice it. Change it. And go get whatever it is you want. There ARE reasonable excuses. You will know when it is reasonable and if you ever need a check, message, or drop a message with the Patrons.
Summary
Accountability is being able to report on your actions and take ownership of them. You can be accountable to yourself and others.
Accountability is the step most people miss when executing plans and let it slide when they do not complete something.
Action Steps
Text a trusted friend, parent, colleague with your goal this week. Schedule a zoom call with them for the end of the week and report back on how your goal went. Have them set one too!
Write down your daily goal on a post-it note and put it in on your planner/laptop/bathroom mirror. Only take it off once you have completed it! Post it on Instagram and tag me @harshahelps.
Join the Patreon community and start achieving your goals with the Harsha Helps community.
Reflect each day and catch those excuses!
No need to complicate your goals. Keep it simple and with a quantitative metric. I want to drink 5 bottles of water today.