Creating an Accountability System

Hi Everyone. Sorry I’ve been a little absent this week. It’s been a busy one and I haven’t found myself near the keyboard too often. How dare life get in the way of my blog and our relationship…

Getting the Job Done

Are you one of those people with a history of ‘almost’ doing certain things? Almost getting in shape? Almost finishing that project? Almost taking action? Almost paying off that debt? Almost using your gym membership (for the entire year)? Almost finishing that course? That book? That renovation? If you are one of those people, welcome to the club – it’s a whopper. I am a foundation member of the Melbourne chapter; we meet Wednesdays if you’re interested – bring a plate.

We all do it (fail to complete things) and we’ve all done it. Most of us are experts at the ‘starting’ bit, but not always so impressive when it comes to the getting-the-job-done and the staying-on-track bits. Or maybe that’s just me? We throw in the towel for a range of reasons: boredom, laziness, poor time-management, loss of motivation, distractions, aversion to discomfort and lack of discipline – just to name a few.

Staying Focused Beyond the Honeymoon

So the obvious question is: How can we maximise our chances of staying focused, committed and productive over the long term? We can create an accountability system; that’s how. That is, we find a way (method, system, model, framework, structure) to keep us doing what we need to do (to achieve our goals), even when the excitement, the motivation, the enthusiasm, the fun and the novelty factor are beginning to wane. So often, the make or break issue (with the creating-our-best-life process) is how we respond once the initial burst of motivation and euphoria has died down. And it always does. 

Experience and observation tell us that people who succeed (get the job done, achieve their goals) are often the ones who simply outlast the majority of quitters. Of course there are other variables which play a role in the type and quality of results we produce, but none of those variables (talent, skill, resources, genetics, opportunities) mean a thing if we never make it past week three of our change journey.

Earlier this week I gave two presentations (both at health clubs) which were focused on health, fitness, motivation and transformation. At the end of both talks I asked the members of my audience to raise a hand if they felt more motivated and inspired that they did an hour earlier. Nearly every hand went up in both sessions. I then informed them that their ‘current’ state of motivation and inspiration would soon pass and it was important for them to find a way to stay accountable, proactive and productive beyond their momentary burst of motivation and enthusiasm. Is that a negative perspective? No, practical and realistic.

As a speaker and educator, I’ve always been acutely aware that the feeling of motivation is, for most people, a temporary emotional state; it comes and goes. Most of the words I speak to my audience will be forgotten within hours. Unless, of course, they take copious notes and then go home and review them (most don’t).

Excitement, optimism and (the feeling of) motivation are valuable assets when they’re in abundant supply, but for most of us, the key to success will lie in our ability to maintain focus, commitment and the behaviours necessary to get where we want to go (that is, reach our goals) – even when the emotion (excitement, optimism, motivation) is nowhere to be seen.

People are often shocked to hear that, some days, the last thing I want to do is train or go to the gym. Being an exercise scientist, motivator bloke and gym owner, people automatically assume that I can’t wait to hit the gym every day and that each session is a fun-fest. So not true. Some days the last thing I feel like doing is working out but I work out anyway. Why? Because I have a non-negotiable routine and structure (barring sickness and exhaustion, of course). Like most people, I go through periods of greater and less motivation. Some days I love to train. Some days I’m simply doing what I need to do to live in alignment with my standards, values and goals. I don’t over-think it. I don’t procrastinate. I just do what I need to. No fuss. It’s a habit – just like cleaning my teeth – so I don’t need to “get motivated.”

While different things work for different people, and there’s no universally effective accountability system, here are five things which have helped me stay on track over the years.

1. Training partner. I have had a training (exercise) partner for most of my adult life. Having set times where I’m committed to meet, and train with, him or her has always been an important and invaluable part of my accountability system. Instead of having a training partner, you might have an accountability partner, and instead of the project being your body, it might be your business, your study, your drinking problem or any other personal growth area.

2. Performance diary. I don’t keep it these days, but for years (okay, decades) I kept a training, lifestyle and nutrition diary. In it, I monitored all of the performance variables which would play some role in the kind of results I would produce with my body. It definitely helped me stay focused, committed, aware and accountable. It also taught me how my body ‘worked’. A performance diary is a concept that works with any personal or professional development endeavour. It provides us with a level of clarity, distance, perspective and objectivity that’s hard to appreciate when we’re ‘in the middle’ of the process.

3. Regular assessments. Regular assessments help me remain objective, focused and less emotional about what I’m doing and how effective it is – or isn’t. I complete regular assessments with my body (fitness and health variables), my business, my finances, my overall output (productivity) and even with this website. For example, every month Johnnie gives me figures on overall traffic, comments, emails, speaking enquiries, gigs booked, product sales and monthly turnover. If you want to de-emotionalise an area of your life and get some real perspective, quantify your results; that’ll do it!

4. Deadlines. Most of us are far more productive, resourceful and creative when we’re working to a deadline. Just think back to school days (exams, assignments, homework) and remember how productive you were the night before an exam or the night before a major assignment was due. If you were anything like me, you always found a way to cram six weeks of (neglected) work into an all night (study) bender. Clearly not a great plan, but it shows what we can do when the clock is ticking. Time-lines create momentum and momentum creates results.

5. Coach. In the early days of my business, I stumbled my way into a relationship with a bloke who turned out to be a great influence on both me, and my business. I met with him regularly to discuss, among other things, business development, career goals, the change process, personal and professional growth, money and life in general. My coach helped me stay grounded, focused, practical, productive and accountable. He would never allow me to over-emotionalise or dramatise situations and he always asked me great questions; questions that forced me to do the learning experientially rather than him handing me some theory on a plate.

So, is accountability an issue for you? Do you need to do something about it? Why don’t you create your own accountability system today? Yes, even though it’s Friday! You’ll be surprised with your results once you replace the emotion, the good intentions and the inconsistency with a concrete plan, a time-line, a little logic and a structure that keeps you responsible and accountable.

Love to hear your thoughts on accountability and productivity. What has and hasn’t worked for you? Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Stories?

Enjoy your weekend.

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