I’m a firm believer that we are in charge of our own success. While it’s good to have others in on our journey to help motivate us, they can’t make us accomplish our goals or make us do things that we don’t want to. In the beginning, we think we need their support, but by the end we realize that it’s our own transformations that generate support from those who truly matter.
Once I started practicing self-accountability, I experienced one of the most profound transformations to date! My business began to grow at an unprecedented rate, I started achieving personal goals I’d been putting off for years, and I had never felt more confident or excited about my future. I honestly felt like a whole new person, a whole new entrepreneur, in just a matter of weeks!
February is almost over, which means that it’s time to recommit to your goals for the year! It’s okay to shift your action plan or change your timeline. It’s okay to shift and change it every month if that helps you. The key here is to commit to keeping yourself accountable because that’s where you’re going to see the big difference.
Self-Accountability and Why It’s Important
Self-accountability is exactly what it sounds like, holding ourselves accountable for our actions. Even though this is an easy concept to understand, it not as easy to follow and is oftentimes built on self-trust–something that we as women don’t always have in full supply. Often, our natural inclination to care for others means that we also believe we should look to others for accountability. Furthermore, there’s also a certain comfort in looking outside ourselves for accountability–it means we can pass the blame for our shortcomings onto others.
Steps for Self-Accountability
- Accept Responsibility. Successful people understand that they have the power to create their future. Think about it: When was the last time you heard a successful person say, “If only I had/knew/understood X, then I could create Y.” Successful people take responsibility for where they are today and where they want to go tomorrow. Everyone has their ups and downs in life, nothing is ever perfect, but to be successful we need to be creative and resourceful to get through the good, the bad, and the mediocre.
- Set Realistic Expectations. We want to set ambitious goals. However, we also want to make sure that any goal we set today is not so far out of our current realm of possibility that we feel as if we are chasing an impossible dream. Learn to walk before you run; allow yourself as much time as you need to achieve your BIG goals, and start now with the first step. Imagine each of us at the foot of a ladder with our ultimate dreams on top. We need to climb the ladder one step at a time, holding onto the sides or the steps ahead of us, in order to reach the top. If we don’t, we may fall from the ladder–IRL this means we get discouraged and stop pursuing our goals. We each get to create and climb our own ladder, so narrow your focus to each step (and don’t look at anyone else’s ladder).
- Be Honest. It’s hard to be honest with ourselves at times, but we can’t expect to accomplish our goals if we’re not honest with ourselves first. When we’re untruthful with ourselves, it’s usually because we’re so used to looking to others for validation. It can be uncomfortable being truthful with ourselves, but the only way we will ever accomplish our goals and dreams or feel fulfilled is if we own all 5 W’s about ourselves (aka “Who, What, When, Where, Why”).
- Celebrate Accomplishments. Celebrate yourself every day! If you’re anything like I was just a few months ago, you may have just rolled your eyes. Here’s what I mean: Give yourself credit for all that you accomplish on a daily basis. Appreciate all that you do and all you already have. Celebrating every small success makes the journey so much more fun, and prevents us from dwelling on those pesky things that maybe didn’t go so well.
If you’re ready to take personal responsibility, get super honest with yourself, and hold yourself accountable to achieving your goals, consider this your personal invitation to join the Accountability Collective! Surround yourself with like-minded women who also have big dreams and support one another as we each craft our own journey!