Stop being so easy on yourself and start taking accountability seriously. I know it feels like I’m scolding some of you, but perhaps that’s exactly what you need. Up to this point, we’ve made ourselves feel better by claiming an “accountability partner” but the moment you miss a deadline, you give that person some generic excuse and poof, you’re off the hook. But that is NOT Accountability! Here’s how you can PUSH yourself to remain truly accountable to someone.
- Put your money where your mouth is… don’t simply change partners when your counterpart calls you to task. Putting something tangible on the line can help you feel the sting of missed deadlines.
- Unless someone is dead or dying, kick your excuses out the window. Having a sore throat is not a good reason to skip out on what you committed to YOURSELF to do. (Sometimes you are truly sick and need to take care of yourself, but if the same bug keeps biting you, bite back by doing the work anyway).
- State your weekly or daily goals in advance so we know what to hold you to. Don’t do the after-the-fact review…State your intentions up front.
- Hold yourself to the highest possible standard and stop setting the bar so low. The bare minimum may get you there, but your race is almost certainly going to be slower than necessary.
Accountability is a brilliant strategy when you’ve decided to implement certain changes in your life but you haven’t yet developed the discipline to execute it. But we truly must start taking accountability seriously. Let it prompt you and ignite a fire in your rear end to get stuff done. Even if it means staying up late!
As a society, too often we take the easy path. We divorce (but not because of infidelity or abuse…rather because we’ve grown tired of our spouses). We are quick to throw in the towel and slow to put in the work. Now, I’m not suggesting that you perpetually stay in hustle mode and grind it out from dusk til' dawn, but do put in that extra needed effort if and when you want to see different results. I am a very nice person, but sometimes you need tough Brenda to come out and play so you can get it done.
Do you need help staying motivated during an extended job search? Do you need support staying focused so you can prepare for that certification exam? Maybe it’s not related to your career at all and you simply want to lose 10 pounds. Whatever IT is…it is high time to truly get accountable. It may be time to schedule a consultation with me and get this party started.
Written by Brenda M. Cunningham: The one who will tell you like it is and help you get to where you want to be in your career. To learn more about our career services, visit us at www.pushcareermanagement.com