You have many tools at your disposal when it comes to holding yourself and others accountable. What is accountability and why is it important? The dictionary defines accountability as the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions. I separate accountability into two parts. The first part being self accountability- the willingness to take responsibility for your own actions. The second piece is accountability for others whom you allow into your life. Accountability is a practice that can enable you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself and others. 

Let’s begin with self accountability. 

How do you hold yourself accountable when you say you are going to do something? Does it get done? If your New Year’s Resolution is to lose 10 pounds and keep it off for the year, will you make time for the gym? Do you have the discipline to create and maintain an eating plan? How will you hold yourself accountable? Ultimately, you are the only person responsible for your own actions, and in this case, the result will be either losing 10 lbs or less. 

Accountability is an action. Nobody can accept responsibility for your own actions and results other than you. You know this. I know this. You cannot cheat yourself and the scale won’t lie. It knows if you are not going to the gym or following your eating plan. The results you get on the scale are a product of your calories in versus calories burned. Taking responsibility for meeting your goals or not is a big step in recognizing that you are the only person who holds the key to either meet or not to meet your goals.