Accountability - Can You Hold Yourself Accountable?

I just finished up with my coaching singles training recently and was reminded of something I wanted to share.

The training was held once a week. In the second last class we were to identify a goal that we wanted to reach and then list 1-3 action steps we were willing to take by the next class and report back to the class on how we did. Luckily, this class was just before Christmas so it gave us an additional week to complete our action steps.

At the beginning of the next class, which was also the last class, we were asked to report on what we completed. The whole idea behind the exercise was to experience how accountability can be a motivator. Many of the participants had stated that they were much more driven to do the action steps because they knew they had to report back to class how they made out.

Obviously this was just a generic test, but statistics back this up as well. Below reflects the probability of completing a project or goal based on certain behaviors:

Come up with an idea - Probability 10%


Consciously decide to adopt the idea - Probability 20%


Set a date to complete - Probability 40%


Put a plan in place - Probability 50%


Commit to someone else - Probability 65%


Have a specific accountability appointment - Probability 95%

After the class I reflected on the exercise. When I was listening to the other class members%u2019 talk about how motivated they were because they did not want to let the class down and look like failures, I wondered whether or not success could be had if they chose to be accountable to themselves as well. This is important since we don%u2019t always have someone or a group to hold our feet to the fire.

That is when I started to remember a particular situation where that did occur for me. My husband and I separated in the month of January. In February I attended an intensive weekend workshop. In that workshop I was introduced to %u201Cacknowledgements%u201D. Acknowledgements are used to help you identify positive things about yourself.

The way it works is everyday you are suppose to identify five things that you acknowledge yourself for, starting each acknowledgement with %u201CI acknowledge myself for %u2026..%u201D . I thought this was a cool idea and thought I would give a shot. So when I came home from the weekend workshop I dusted off my journal and started my daily acknowledgements. Since everything was new and different everyday due to the separation I had no problem coming up with acknowledgements initially.

Well as the weeks went by it became harder and harder to come up with acknowledgements. But I wasn%u2019t willing to quit. What happened was I found that I started to think of things that I could do differently so I would have something to acknowledge myself for each day. Little by little I started to step outside my comfort zone and take a risk just so I could have something to right in that blasted journal at the end of the day.

One particular situation sticks in my mind still today. As I mentioned earlier my husband and I separated in the month of January. My birthday is in April. So I found myself facing a birthday alone during a period of emotional turmoil. Well I resolved that I would not spend it alone and unhappy. So I decided I would throw myself a birthday party. This was a huge step outside my comfort zone, as one of my greatest fears in life is %u201Crejection%u201D and this was definitely a way to set myself up for rejection. I hand delivered my hand made invitations and had an amazing response. I must say it was probably one of the best birthdays I ever had.

I have my commitment to %u201Cacknowledgements%u201D to thank for having the strength to take this step. After all I needed something to write in my acknowledgement journal. So again, I ask can we be just as successful by being accountable to ourselves as we are being accountable to others? I say, yes!

What is it that you want to achieve? How will you achieve it? Can you be your own support system when others are not available? Give it a try. Start your acknowledgement journal today. See how just a few entries can help you see you and your world a little different.

Hey, we are going to think things about ourselves and others no matter what, right? Why not choose to see the positive in ourselves and others rather than the negative. We or someone taught us how to think negatively about ourselves, so I challenge you to retrain yourself to see the good more than the bad. Give it a try. What do you have to lose? Nothing except your negative self-esteem.

Ignore Your Conscience And Reprogram For Success

Programming yourself for success is all about ignoring all the negative thoughts and way of thinking you had in the past and start again from fresh, rather like wiping your hard drive and reinstalling the Operating system.

Where before your conscience has always crept in and told you "you can't do this" or "you'll fail, you know you will" you have to rid your mind of these thoughts and replace a more positive natural way of thinking, by practicing this on a regular basis you will find that eventually you have successfully reprogrammed your brain.

Actually you are aiming to reprogram only the left part of your brain, or the left hemisphere as it called, because this is the part that sends you negative thoughts. The right hemisphere however is the side that lets you see the good in life and which send you positive thoughts.

So in effect you have to ignore the left and go with the right. Reprogramming can be done but it does take time, after all you will have probably had years of letting the left side win over the right and it having a free reign.

There are three main factors that go together and contribute to reprogramming your mind, they are effective and have been proven to work if used together. The first is relaxation, the second, visualization and the third affirmation.

Relaxation is essential if we want to listen in only to our right side, the fact is that if we are relaxed then the brain waves slow down and our brain goes into a state called "alpha". During this state the left hemisphere goes dormant and the right or subconscious is firmly in control, this is good, this is what you are aiming for.

This state is most often felt just seconds before we drift off to sleep, where we feel light, happy and comfortable, almost as if you are floating. However this state can be felt anytime you are deeply relaxed. It is this feeling and this state that we want to encourage and we can learn how to reach it at anytime, anywhere.

The most common way to achieve this state easily and quickly is to learn meditation or similar relaxation techniques.

Using the visualization technique is the second step towards reprogramming. When you are relaxed your creative side will be allowed to flow freely and you can make good use of this. Through visualizing a happy more successful person you can eventually instill this in your brain and the new confidence sticks with you throughout your day. Visualize in as much clear detail as you possibly can and although this will take some practicing you will eventually find that you are able to relax quickly and easily and your visualizations become almost real in quality.

The final part of your reprogramming relies on backing up all this with affirmations. Affirmations are positive thoughts and statements, which will help to give you confidence and make sure your new way of thinking sticks in your mind.

Motivate Yourself To A Healthier You

You know you need to get moving. The benefits of exercise are well documented through research. Exercise can improve your overall health, increase your self-esteem and decrease your stress. The first prescription for people who are depressed is to start an exercise program. Physicians are encouraging most of their patients to exercise. It is the secret to a long and healthy life.

OK, great; you know it already. So how do you continue to exercise when you are mentally fatigued, the weather is lousy and your stress level is through the roof.

Here are six great tips to help you continue on your journey to a healthier you.

1. See it in black and white. Call it a calendar, diary or list – doesn't matter. What ever you call it mark the days that you have completed your exercise for the day. Seeing it in black and white can be very motivating. Put the record in a place that you will look at each and every day. It doesn't matter if you plan to work out that day or not. Look at the record each day.

2. Reward yourself for good behavior. Write down specific short term (3-5 week) goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. Make the reward something that you don't get unless you achieve the goal. If you normally stop at the local coffee shop but your reward is a Latte then the reward won't mean much.

3. Challenge yourself to achieve something you might not otherwise attempt. Is your neighborhood or community having a walk/run event? Sign up and commit to completing the event on that day. You can find these opportunities in every community – bike rides, walk/runs, or swimming for charity.

4. Be clear about your reason to exercise. Are you searching for better health, sleep better, treat depression or increased energy and a new figure? Write your reason down on a piece of paper – preferably with a picture that represents your reason, and look at it every day. Keep your reason to the front of your mind and it will be easier to stay motivated on rainy days.

5. Consider a training partner. This is someone who engages in the same exercise routines to accomplish their goals. You can find partners for running, walking, swimming, aerobics – you name it, someone is doing it. You may be motivated by having an Internet partner with whom you share your goals and achievements. Or you may do better with a partner who can exercise with you.

6. Identify your usual excuses and provide yourself with answers. If time is an issue be sure you have everything ready to go and you schedule an adequate amount of time to work out. If you have young children arrange for a neighborhood sitter to watch them for short periods, or purchase a good quality jogging stroller to take them with you. Identify what you usually use as an excuse and fix it!

Exercise has an incredible number of benefits to our health. However, unless we do more than read about them we can't benefit from exercise. So get out and do it!

Turn Ideas Into Action

Does your brain bounce with ideas? So many ideas in fact, you feel overwhelmed?

Maybe you have a unique idea for a book. Maybe you have lots of ideas stirring for a new marketing campaign. Or, maybe you have a fun idea for a family vacation.

There's a good reason why you have all of these great ideas—you're smart, creative, and talented!

So why haven't you acted on these ideas yet? Do you struggle with deciding which ideas to tackle first? Do you wonder how you'll ever find the time to see the idea through?

Whether they're for your professional life or for your personal life, don't let these ideas sit and collect dust. Rather, turn them into action!

Tips for turning your ideas into action:

1. Make a list. If you don't already have one, create a "master list of ideas." Create a separate list for work and personal life. Every time a new idea piques your interest, add it to the list.


2. Identify obstacles. Take a close look at your list and identify what has kept you from implementing the ideas. Is it lack of time, lack of resources, lack of confidence, etc.? Figure out how to break the obstacles.


3. Determine impact. From your master list, determine which idea could have an immediate positive impact on your job or your personal life. Work on this idea first.


4. Set a goal. Take the idea that you identified in #3 and set a specific goal. For example, maybe you want to implement a new training program by the end of the quarter.


5. Create a plan. Now that you have a goal in place, create a plan to achieve it. Break the plan into small, manageable tasks. The more tasks you can break it into, the quicker you can complete them. Seeing this progress will motivate you to keep plugging away!


6. Give effort. The more effort you contribute to your idea, the faster you'll accomplish it. If you contribute little effort, you'll see little accomplishment and your idea will remain just another idea.


7. Hold yourself accountable. Accountability will help you reach your goal. For example, in the "implement a new training program" example, you could share your plan with your boss. When he asks questions such as "How is the planning coming along?" or "When will the training take place?" you may get annoyed, but he'll encourage you to keep working at it. After all, you don't want to let your boss down!


8. Stay motivated. It's not unusual to feel like you're burning out when working on a goal. If this happens, focus on the reason you thought of the idea and keep the end result in mind.


9. Take a bow! Once you've finished your goal, celebrate! What once was merely an idea is now a reality. Congratulations!


10. Start on your next idea. Your momentum is high now, so after a well-deserved break, start on your next idea!

Repeat these ten steps for each idea and they'll all become actions! So, what are you waiting for? Get started!

Consistency - Parent of Progress, Cornerstone of Success

In his book, "Awaken the Giant Within", Anthony Robbins has the following to say about achieving success:

"In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently."

Remember back down the line where someone told you that if you put a little bit of money in the bank every week or out of every paycheck, after a while you would have a large chunk of money? Made sense, right?

Or how about if you take a walk every day, or at least several times a week, you will lose weight, get fitter, go down a dress size...whatever! Do you remember that?

Okay, how about brush every day? I know you've heard that one!

So, what the heck do all these things have in common?

No peeking! You actually have to read the article.

Oh, okay. We all know and understand that simply taking the occasional swing at changing our lives or improving them or losing weight or making more money isn't going to work. It's the exercise done regularly and often over time that improves our bodies. It's the money put into the bank out of every paycheck that mounts up to enough to actually invest in something expensive. It is brushing our teeth every day that helps keep tooth decay in check and keeps the dentist off our backs.

That little Austrian kid, what's his name, probably did have some good genes going for him. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger never would have made "Pumping Iron", got discovered, made a lot more movies, married Maria Shriver, and become the governor of the state of California if he had only visited the gym once or twice and then quit...or only showed up every other Wednesday.

Like so many successful people, Ahnald (sorry, couldn't resist) visualized a goal for himself, figured out what steps were needed to get him there, and then was willing to spend the time and effort necessary to perform those steps regularly and religiously.

Raining and cold today? Got to get to the gym. Don't feel like working out? Got to get to the gym. Not only that, if something he tried wasn't working, he tried to figure out what would work and started over.

Was every step along the way perfect? Of course not. Just look at some of Arnold's movies, and you will see that some would definitely NOT remind you of the future governor of California...or of Gregory Peck, Charleton Heston, or Gabby Hayes, for that matter. What did matter was that he kept swinging...er, lifting, and did not give up.

Same with Ronald Regan, by the way.

Or how about that young black woman born in the segregated city of Birmingham, Alabama in the mid 50's? Who would have thought that she ever would have a chance to become anything. I grew up in the South of the 50's. I remember what she faced. It wasn't just two water fountains (white and colored) and three bathrooms (men, women, and colored). That's almost just an inconvenience compared to being considered by a large part of the population to be less than human and not being allowed to even dream of following the paths to achievement open to those who did not have skin the same color as hers. However, she too had a goal and never quit working at it despite the obstacles, and the almost certain times that she must have felt that her goal must be impossible to obtain.

Today, Condoleezza Rice is one of the most famous, most respected women in the world. Her name will go down in history because she had something to work towards and realized that just taking a casual swing at it once in a while would not get her where she wanted to go.

By the way, it was another person with skin the color of hers who would not give up and quit either. Partly because of the sacrifices of people like Martin Luther King, not only did the extra water fountain and bathroom go away, but so did a lot of the obstacles that little girl faced. He didn't quit trying either, until he could try no more...and that decision was not his.

Pick somebody successful. It doesn't matter if it is Tiger Woods, Thomas Edison, Donald Trump, or Tony Robbins. Heck, Edison even said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." How many of us would have quit after two or three tries?

How about that unemployed ex-secretary in Britain. Thought up some silly characters and wrote a book about them. Twelve publishing houses rejected her story before one decided to take a chance on it. Even her good friends were telling her to give it up and get a real job when the first Harry Potter book by J. K. Rowling hit the stands.

An old story I remember from a bazillion (my spell checker says "kazillion" doesn't exist) years ago was about a sports writer watching a famous golfer sink a difficult putt. A man beside him snorted and said something like, "I wish I had been lucky enough to be born with his talent." The sports writer didn't say anything at that time, but he thought to himself of all the times he had seen that same golfer practicing putting over and over between rounds when he could have been resting.

Yeah, we all have different levels of skills and talents. Our parents may or may not have been able to help us out. Our genes, or the circumstances of our birth and heritage, may or may not have made it easier for us to accomplish this or that. However, again and again we can see that the winners...those who succeed, are not always the most talented, those born rich, or those whose genes made it easy for them.

So many times in life's race, the winner is the one who simply did not quit running.

Mach Speed Trio 1GB MP3/Video Player (Black) -PMP-TV819-1GB-BLACK

Mach Speed Trio 1GB MP3/Video Player (Black) -PMP-TV819-1GB-BLACK

List Price: $89.99 You Save: $40 Final Price: $49.99 Description : Amazingly thin, super lightweight, & ultra high tech. The classy new Trio MP4 819 is feature-rich yet unbelievably affordable! It combines a brilliant 1.5 inch color display, the ever-popular MP3 function, crystal-clear video player, quality digital FM radio & voice recorder, efficient photo browser, convenient e-book reader and USB flash drive in a sleek & stylish design. Now you can have it all in a splendid array of innovation. Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $49.99 Final Price: $49.99 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

iPod Compatible 3-D Sound/Docking Station - White -26481

iPod Compatible 3-D Sound/Docking Station - White -26481

List Price: $99.99 You Save: $63.5 Final Price: $36.49 Description : The iPod Compatible 3-D Sound/Docking Station turns your iPod into an enjoyable stereo system. Not only does it produce quality sound, it also provides a video output allowing you to play your videos or display pictures on your television! This sound station also acts as a universal docking station, charging your iPod when connected and allowing you to sync your computer. Control the volume using the controls on the platform or the full-function wireless remote. The remote also allows you to scroll through and select your play lists; something many other dock remotes are lacking. The iPod Compatible 3-D Sound/Docking is also compatible with any other audio device with a 3.5mm plug. Plug in your other MP3 players, iPods without a dock connector, laptops, and portable CD players and enjoy the same great sound. The platform lights up with a blue LED when the device is powered on, so it looks cool whether in your office, bedroom, or on your desk! Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $66.49 -$30 Mail-in rebate ( Offer valid from 3/15/2007 to 3/22/2007 ) Final Price: $66.49 -$30 = $36.49 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

SanDisk 2GB microSD Card -SDSDQ-2048-A10M

SanDisk 2GB microSD Card -SDSDQ-2048-A10M

List Price: $119.99 You Save: $88.99 Final Price: $31 Description : Another great invention from SanDisk, the 2GB microSD Card is about a quarter of the size of an SD card and is the newest standard of SD flash memory specifically designed for use with ultra-small mobile phones and other devices. Like the miniSD, the microSD/TransFlash is ideal for use in storing media-rich files such as music, videos, and photographs in compatible mobile phones. Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $24.99 Final Price: $24.99 + $6.01 Shipping = $31 + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Wenger SwissGear Degree Notebook Case w/ Shoulder Strap (Fits up to 15.4") -GA-7436-01F00

Wenger SwissGear Degree Notebook Case w/ Shoulder Strap (Fits up to 15.4") -GA-7436-01F00

List Price: $49.99 You Save: $14.74 Final Price: $35.25 Description : Fits most 15"/15.4" widescreen laptops. Features Protective Computer Compartment, Business Organizer, Ergonomic Handles, and Tear Resistant Shoulder Strap.Write a ReviewBe the first user to review this item.Product Images buildProdViewHistory() Back to top Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $35.25 Final Price: $35.25 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Sony Cybershot S650 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

Sony Cybershot S650 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

List Price: $151.99 You Save: $22.83 Final Price: $129.16 Description : Capture the beautiful moments of your life with the DSC-S650 Cyber-shot Digital Camera from Sony. Its advanced Super HAD (Hole Accumulated Diode) CCD design allows more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise. How to get this deal: Click here to go to Dell Home S&P Add to Shopping cart for $151.95 Final Price : $151.95 - 15% = $129.16 + Free Shipping + Tax Click here to grab this deal from Dell.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Cavalry 120GB Portable 2.5" External Hard Drive, USB 2.0, 4200RPM -CAUP25120

Cavalry 120GB Portable 2.5" External Hard Drive, USB 2.0, 4200RPM -CAUP25120

List Price: $106.4 You Save: $21.45 Final Price: $84.95 Description : Cavalry Pre-Formatted External Hard Drive with Enclosure Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $99.95 -$15 Mail-in rebate ( Offer valid from 3/3/2007 to 3/12/2007 ) Final Price: $99.95 -$15 = $84.95 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Photo Explosion 2.0 - PJW

Photo Explosion 2.0 - PJW

List Price: $29.99 You Save: $29 Final Price: $0.99 Description : Turn ordinary photographs into memories you're sure to cherish with the next generation in consumer photo editing software. Photo Explosion delivers powerful photo editing features, spectacular special effects and professional-quality photo projects-all together in one program.This new version 2.0 makes digital photography even easier, improving your photos with one-click SmartEnhance, red-eye removal, and a full array of photo editing tools. The huge selection of spectacular projects sets Photo Explosion well apart from ordinary photo editors. Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $29.99 -$19 Mail-in rebate ( Offer valid from 2/25/2007 to 3/21/2007 ) -$10 Mail-in rebate ( Offer valid from 2/28/2007 to 12/31/2007 ) Final Price: $29.99 -$19 -$10 = $0.99 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Creative Zen Vision:M 60GB MP3 Player - Black

Creative Zen Vision:M 60GB MP3 Player - Black

List Price: $299.99 You Save: $50.99 Final Price: $249 Description : The Zen Vision: M 60GB Multimedia Center makes it easy to carry all your digital files around - and navigate them more simply. You'll be able to enjoy thousands of photo and audio files plus or even video files viewed on a 2.5 inch LCD screen. Its 320x240 resolution and 262,144 color display will makes photos look almost as good as the real thing, even in bright sunlight. How to get this deal: Click here to go to Dell Home S&P Add to Shopping cart for $299 Final Price : $299 - $50 instant = $249 + Free Shipping + Tax Click here to grab this deal from Dell.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player with SD Expansion Slot

Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player with SD Expansion Slot

List Price: $149.99 You Save: $40.99 Final Price: $109 Description : The 4 GB Sansa e260 flash-based MP3 Player from SanDisk provides everything you need for music, photo, and video clip playback. The attractive, sleek designed MP3 player includes a 1.8" TFT color screen with navigational features and an easy to use interface. Its rechargeable Li-ion battery lets you enjoy up to 20 hours of continuous music. How to get this deal: Go to Dell.com Add to Shopping cart for $149 Final Price : $149 -$40 instant= $109 + Free Shipping + Tax Click here to grab this deal from Dell.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com

Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Player/Recorder - Progressive Scan DVD Recorder with DV inputRecords to DVD-RAM/-R/-RW/+R/+RW Discs

Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Player/Recorder - Progressive Scan DVD Recorder with DV inputRecords to DVD-RAM/-R/-RW/+R/+RW Discs

List Price: $169.95 You Save: $50.54 Final Price: $119.41 Description : Super Multi-Format Recording and PlaybackRecord and Play Almost Anything Incredibly versatile and format friendly, this DVD recorder can record to and play back just about any DVD you can throw at it. Specifically, it can record to and play back DVD-R/-RW/-RAM/+R/+RW discs. It can also play back many more disc formats, including: DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD-R(dual layer), DVD+R(dual layer), CD, CD-DA, and CD-R/RW(including MP3 and JPEG files). With a Panasonic DVD recorder, never think twice about what disc you need. Go to Buy.com Add to Shopping cart for $119.41 Final Price: $119.41 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, MD, MA, and TN) Click here to grab this deal from Buy.com

Grab more HOT Deals at StealZone.com