Be SMART: Be Accountable

Do you hold yourself accountable for what you do or don't do? If you set SMART goals you do.

I feel "Accountability" is one of the keys to success. Holding yourself accountable for both your successes and failures means you are more likely to:

a) know what worked
b) repeat the successes
c) work hard on the "failures" so they don't happen again

How do you remember what worked and what didn't?

Write it down so you don't forget - and keep these notes to yourself, that way you can be honest.

What were you going to do today? Did you complete the task today or not? If not, why not, and be honest - if you couldn't be bothered - say so and say why. Over time you will note patterns of behaviour. These patterns can provide us with additional information we can use.

What accountability isn't - It is not a beat yourself up opportunity, it should never be - you're a failure, you're hopeless, you never finish things (we can be our own worst critic), but more of - OK so it didn't work - why didn't it work, what can you do to make it work?

You can of course give someone else permission to hold you accountable for your actions. While I am not talking about confessing our sins to a priest, I am talking about groups of people to whom you have pledged to do something - be it a weight loss group, a team fitness program you are taking part in, your training partner, the person you walk with every morning or your work colleagues.

Do you hold yourself accountable?