Accountability: the ultimate hack to smashing your goals
I'd shared with someone at some point that I wanted to drink more water, and since then, one of the first things she brings up when we meet is my water goal. I think she made it a point to keep me accountable (I didn't ask her to). But I noticed I started drinking more water after this and I was a little annoyed at first - I'll tell you why.
I'm not really big on telling people my goals - I've always thought of myself as that person who had enough strength of will to get things done whenever I wanted to. So I found it pleasantly annoying that this unsolicited accountability thing was working. I began to look forward to telling her about my progress whenever we met, and if there were weeks where I did poorly, I felt encouraged because all she'd do was to tell me to pick it back up with zero judgment.
Why does accountability work?
Picture this: you've committed to studying for an exam for thirty minutes every day, but on a particular day, you wake up, you're feeling unmotivated, and have no desire to be productive. Which of these two scenarios will make you more likely to get out of bed and study?
No one knows about your plan, so if you don't study that day, no one will know but you.
You have a study partner waiting for you on a Zoom call at the time you both agreed to (or in my case, a friend you're meeting with soon who will ask about your progress).
I think it's apparent from here. The second scenario lends itself more to success than the first, and you've probably experienced this in your life too.
A study from the Dominican University of California showed that the most successful people are those who write goals, commit to specific actions, and are accountable for their actions by providing formal updates to others. The study involved 267 participants who set personal or professional goals and were split into groups based on whether they wrote down their goals or not, shared their progress reports with a friend or not, or combined these with commitments to action.
The researchers found that members of the groups who wrote down their goals created action commitments, and sent progress reports to friends achieved significantly more than those who didn't. (a)
So accountability is not just a self-help buzzword, it's a powerful tool, and the ultimate hack for becoming a better person.
Accountability is an everyday concept.
Accountability doesn't have to be a big, dramatic thing - as a matter of fact, we've all had accountability partners throughout our lives - teachers who made sure we finished our homework, caregivers who made sure we took showers every day, and friends who made sure we had fun! Sometimes, accountability is as simple as someone asking "how are you taking care of yourself today?"
Back to my story - when reflecting on this newsletter, I found that I've actually been employing this principle of accountability in other ways. I often write down my goals and set a deadline to review them. Therefore, my journals are my accountability partners. So if you want to try out personal accountability (before sharing with someone), try writing.
Finally, if you've made a goal, share it—it can be anyone. A parent, friend, significant other, therapist, or journal! Just make sure whoever you tell is supportive and positive.
Ife.
(a): Read more about this research in The Accountability Manifesto: How Accountability Helps You Stick to Goals (pp. 20-21) by S.J. Scott.
