How to Grow Accountability to Live Your Best Life -

Grow accountability to help you stay focused on the path that will lead to your best life. You need to be accountable to you and sometimes that means keeping a personal record or sharing with others the path you’re walking.

The key is to have something in place that will keep your eyes on the prize.

Accountability provides the guidelines for keeping you in your lane. Guilt throws you in the ditch.
The difference makes all the difference in your journey.

#Quoteoftheday

Accountability provides guidelines for keeping you in your lane.
Guilt throws you in the ditch.
The difference
makes all the difference
in your journey.

How to Grow Accountability

If you are going to get it done, then you have to do it. There are days when the have to and the want to don’t align. Those are the days when you need accountability the most.

I am all about the BIG DREAM goals. I think they need to be a little bit impossible and al little bit scary if they are going to stretch me out of my comfort zone. But (and this is hard to admit) sometimes I set goals knowing full well that there is no way I can reach the.

And I do this daily – or I use to.

Each day, when I schedule out my time through the Focus Folder System, I had been writing down everything i wanted to do. Most of it didn’t get done. Starting last week, I write down a task and how long it would take. Once I ran out of time, I stopped writing tasks.

Today, as I wrote my tasks, I filled in my time block with a pencil. When I complete a task, I write over the pencil with the color that coordinates with the task.

Pretty, fun, and efficient.

I’m holding myself truly accountable for the tasks and because I’m accountable I’m getting more done. That’s the value you get when you grow accountability in your journey.

What are the best ways to keep you in your lane?

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Releasing the situation: Determine if the situation will cause physical harm, if it’s your place, if you’re willing to invest, if it brings you closer to God, and if you’re acting in faith or emotion.
Think happy thoughts: Focus on the positive aspects of your journey and the progress you have made.
Judge between accountability and guilt: Understand the difference between being held accountable and feeling guilty.
Maintain three points of contact: Stay connected with others who support and encourage you on your unique journey.
Take a time-out: Give yourself permission to step back and reassess when needed.

Release the Situation

When faced with a difficult situation, it can be challenging to know what to do. However, there are five questions that can help us release the situation and find peace:

Will it cause physical harm to me or my family? If not, let it go.
Is this my place? If not, let it go.
How much am I willing to invest in this? If not willing to invest, let it go.
Will this bring me closer to God or hinder my walk with Him?
Am I acting in faith or emotions?

By answering these five questions, we can gain clarity and understanding about the situation at hand. This can help us make decisions that are in line with our unique design and purpose in life.

Think Happy Thoughts

Accountability and positive thinking go hand in hand. Accountability is not just someone telling you what you did wrong, but also finding motivation and encouragement to keep you going. Here are some tips to help you think happy thoughts and stay accountable:

Be aware of what you’re reading: Social media counts as reading too, and what you put into your eyes and ears becomes your thoughts. Start your day by focusing on positive messages, rather than negative news headlines.
Be aware of what you’re hearing: The words we hear become common to us and affect our thinking. Surround yourself with positive influences, including music and people.
Be conscious of who you’re hanging around: You want to be around people who lift you up, rather than drag you down. Find like-minded individuals who encourage and inspire you.
Watch your speech: Words are powerful, and what you say can affect your attitude and actions. Speak positive affirmations over yourself to feed your possibility thinking.
Create positive self-affirmations: Instead of saying “I want,” say “I am.” Put the full power of God behind your heart and speak your positive affirmations over your life.

Remember, as King Solomon said, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Focus on positive thoughts and beliefs, and your actions will follow suit. When you think happy thoughts and speak positive words, worry fades away, and joy fills your life.

Accountability vs. Guilt

Accountability helps with correcting the path but it does it by lifting us up. Guilt pushes us down and tries to ground us from living our dreams. Accountability is about taking responsibility for your actions and owning up to mistakes, while guilt is a negative emotion that can lead to self-blame and discouragement. There is a difference between accountability and guilt and the difference is everything.

Accountability is a crucial tool for personal and professional growth, but it must be used correctly to be effective. Avoid guilt, negativity, and deflection, and focus on positivity, possibility, hope, and growth

When you are struggling to distinguish between accountability and guilt, ask these questions:

Does it feed the motivation or steal the energy?

Does it focus on the possibility or the problem?

Does it offer and element of hope?

Does it grow you up or weigh you down?

Knowing the difference between accountability and guilt will help you continue to move forward in purpose and on purpose and allow you to avoid the things (and the people) that are not moving you in your better direction.

Three Points of Contact

Maintaining three points of contact is a lesson that can be applied to different areas of our lives, from physical activities to spiritual practices.

Scripture, tradition, and reason are the three points of contact that can guide us when we face questions or situations in life.

To gain three points of contact, we need to keep a record of affirmations, develop a reservoir of support and encouragement, get tunnel vision on our unique design, keep the momentum going, and practice advanced giving.

Keeping a record of all the positive feedback and support we receive can help us remember our strengths and keep us motivated.
Developing a reservoir of support and encouragement, such as a wall of affirmation, can help us overcome distractions and stay focused on our unique design.
Tunnel vision on our unique design is essential to avoid getting distracted by things that are not part of our purpose.
Keeping the momentum going is important to avoid getting stuck and to reach our destination.
Advanced giving is about being relentlessly helpful without expecting anything in return and can create lasting connections and opportunities.

Maintaining three points of contact is a powerful lesson that can help us live a fulfilling life. By keeping a record of affirmations, developing a reservoir of support, focusing on our unique design, keeping the momentum going, and practicing advanced giving, we can stay grounded in our purpose and live our best life.

Take a Time Out

“That’s it. You need a time out.” I wasn’t even talking to one of my kids. Instead, it was the reflection in the mirror that got the reprimand. My thoughts had gotten out of control and sent me barreling into a ditch.

I needed a break.

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We’re constantly finding ways to stay on track, stay focused, and get things done. But sometimes, we need to take a step back and reflect on our journey.

We need a time out!

Taking a time out provides a lot of benefits:

A moment to review the steps that have led up to the current place
A chance to review the goals that should be the guiding mark
An opportunity to adjust direction if the path has gone off the rails
A time to reflect on the skills and knowledge that are there (or may be needed) to do what needs to be done.
A space to embrace the wins

Catch up on the Growing Accountability episodes at Growing HOPE Radio and find the motivation and encouragement to keep on keeping on without getting bogged down by guilt or despair.

Release the Situation
Think Happy Thoughts
Accountability vs. Guilt
Three Points of Contact
Take a Time Out

Accountability partners give us the calm to help us unknot our knickers. Share on X

Embracing your Accountability

If you want to live your best life, growing accountability is crucial. There are several ways to achieve accountability, including keeping a personal record or sharing your journey with others. It’s essential to have a system in place that keeps you focused on your goals and motivates you to take action. Avoid falling into the trap of guilt, as it can hinder your progress and discourage you from achieving your dreams.

To maintain accountability, focus on positive thinking and surround yourself with supportive people. Develop a reservoir of support and encouragement, keep a record of affirmations, and practice advanced giving. Take a time-out when you need to reflect on your journey, review your goals, and adjust your path if necessary.

Start to grow accountability and set a firm foundation for your best life.