Finding Accountability for My Journey

The New Year often brings a litany of resolves, plans, goals, or objectives. These may even get written down. Some of us could create elaborate wall mounting designs that encapsulate the entire map of the year to come.

But without follow through – often driven by accountability – it matters not how fancy the design or intricate the plan. If I never do what I plan to do – or what I know to do – or what I need to do – then I will never move in the direction I desire.

Accountability can be vital to the mix.

I joined a writing group – 365K Challenge – and we are competing in teams and as individuals to see who can write the most each month, each day, and for the whole year. The main goal is to write just 1,000 words each day. Every time that I look at my social media, I am encouraged (or sometimes challenged because who wants to be last) to get some words written. The group is holding me accountability.

Accountability can be a mixed bag.

The pastor was teaching about accountability on Sunday. He was using Paul’s example of the wives begin accountable to the husbands, and husbands to wives, and children to parents. He crossed the line when he said, “And parents accountable to your children.” I have teenagers. While I am certain that they hear only six words from every sermon, I was equally certain that they would choose those six. I had only been home a few hours when my oldest son caught me doing something other than what I said I was going to do and corrected me. Before I could reprimand his correction he grinned and I knew what would come next. “I believe I heard somewhere that parents should be accountable to their children.”

Accountability is not always fun.

On more than one occasion I have been in the process of shutting down my computer for the night when I spotted my 365K Challenge group. I muttered under my breath and wrote some words so that I could stay on track for my goals. Because of the accountability, I did something I knew to do even when I had no real desire to do it.

That day my son called me out was not the first time – although he took GREAT DELIGHT in using the pastor’s words. He did succeed in getting me moving in the right direction, even if I was a bit annoyed at the prospect. The greatest benefit is that he now offers me positive accountability . . . some of the time.

Accountability is not the key.

Although it helps to have the encouragement even when I have no desire to have the encouragement, accountability will not get it done for me. I still have to make the move. I still have to take the action. I still have to get it done.

Accountability just helps me when I seem to need it the most.

Be blessed,