The Secret Weapon to Sticking With It

This is SUCH funny timing for this post. Maxie always sends me drafts and sometimes I’m good and queue it up early… and other times I’m lazy (like now!) and put it off until the night before. So I’m writing this intro on Sunday night and tomorrow is Day 1 of a training plan I’m doing with a group of friends. We’re all over the place, both geographically and otherwise, so we have to work out on our own, but we’re doing a virtual group to hold each other accountable! I think it’s the best way for me to stick with something!

The Secret Weapon to Sticking With It

Guest post by Maxie McCoy

If we’re doing this whole life thing right, then we’re not staying static. Sometimes, that expansion happens because life throws us changes and curveballs that we didn’t ask for, and we’re forced to react. And sometimes, our growth happens because we’re really serious about making a change in a certain area of our lives.

It doesn’t really matter what the change is that we’re seeking – but normally we have a minute or week of inspiration and decide, yes this is what I’m going to do to be a better me, but then at some point that inspiration wears off. And then what? Do you quit? Do you stall out? Do you revert back to your old ways. As they say, in order to get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. That latter is hard because it goes outside of your default patterns. It requires time to program new patterns into becoming your normal – for new ways to become just as automatic as your old ways, you gotta stick with it.

Recently, I’ve made some really positive changes that I’ve been wanting to make for years. Like so many years. And when I looked at what transpired in order to make any of that a possibility it came down to one major spark: accountability. Accountability has been integral in my health changes, in my business changes, in my growth, and in my creativity. Having someone that supports you and to whom you’re accountable, will help you stick with it. And know what happens when you stick with something? More times than not, you’ll succeed (eventually).

If you’re not sure what accountability means or looks like, here’s a few ways to implement it in your own life:

Classes  – Most of what we learn, we learned because we were accountable to our teachers, parents, and report cards. So if there’s a skill set that you’ve been wanting to work on, or a creative muscle you’re wanting to finally exercise, signing up for a class that requires you to do work and show up can be a great way to get that wheel turning.

Accountability Buddies – Anyone can be an accountability buddy. And they can help you with any goal. And it’s totally free. Think friends, partners, roommates, family members. If you enroll these people into a change that you’re trying to make by setting up a recurring time to check in and assess your progress, you’ve created a built-in accountability system.

Paid Experts – Coaches, Trainers, Therapists, Consultants. You name it and you can hire it. These experts are often expensive, but if you’re ready for that kind of investment they can help push you to new levels of whatever it is that you’re trying to get better at, begin, or change.

Personal Reminders – Your calendar can be more effective than you think. And using a reminder system to check in with yourself is a wonderful way to integrate personal accountability into your weekly practices. So whether you want to have a certain amount of words written by a certain date, or if you want to have worked out a specific amount of times, or you want to set your goals for the month and review your outcomes, your calendar can hold you accountable to doing that, too.

Accountability will help you stick with anything you’re trying to implement. And sticking with it will lead you to new heights. Try one of these, and let us know…do you have any creative ways to stay accountable to yourself??

For more actionable advice on your dreams, pre-order Maxie’s new book, You’re Not Lost.