who want you to do better!
The probability of accomplishing a goal:
10% – If you have an actual idea or goal.
25% – If you consciously decide you will do it.
40% – If you decide when you will do it.
50% – If you plan how you will do it.
65% – If you commit to someone you will do it.
95% – If you have a specific accountability appointment with a person you’ve committed to.
As I mentioned in my opening letter, one of the greatest aspects of training for the Annapolis 10-miler has been my accountability group. We have a text chain running constantly talking about where we are in our training process, how we feel during and after our runs and even share a group playlist.
An accountability buddy could look like my group. It could also be the people you see in your group fitness classes who are counting on you being there each week. Or, it might be the instructor who texts you if you don’t show up for a week or so to ask, ‘everything ok?’
Why are people 95% more successful at achieving their goals when they have a specific accountability appointment?
An accountability buddy helps you stay on track. You have a line of communication with this person who knows your very specific goals and objectives. They know what you want to accomplish and why you want to accomplish this goal. When you are pumped and excited, they are excited. When you lose that excitement and get frustrated, they help offer a perspective that gets you back on track.
An accountability buddy keeps you motivated. The reality is that driving towards a goal is like a road trip in the mountains. There are opportunities where you get to set your cruise control and just luxuriate in the ride, versus times where all of the elements seems to working against you and you have to figuratively fight a little bit harder to accomplish the same thing. I had a client once who went on a binge and felt terrible about herself after that. She reached out to me and I was there to remind her that these things happen and help her realize what she could learn from this situation so that she did not binge again.
A trained accountability buddy provides advice and support. When I work with my clients, they come to me with obstacles that are holding them back. Some of these obstacles are brain related, (hating your body is a sub-optimal approach to living your best life) and some are time related, or a combination. An accountability buddy has the skills, knowledge and information to share to help you make changes or take the necessary steps to reach your goal. There is a ton of information out there and they help funnel the good from the bad from the ugly and possibly untrue.
An accountability buddy celebrates your success! We cannot keep hating our bodies into submission. It doesn’t work that way. What does work is the habit reward loop. For example, I had a client who wanted to start walking 5 days a week (out of 7). She created a calendar and started making an X on the days that she walked. When she had accumulated (20) x’s, she bought herself a new walking outfit. When she had accrued another (20), she bought herself headphones to wear while she walked. Every time she ticked a box, we celebrated together! Positive reinforcement will bring positive gains!
An accountability buddy helps you push your limits. I was working with a client this week who works on push ups at every session. For our most recent session, she moved into her push up positive and did a few and then said ‘this is really hard.’ I acknowledged that it was hard because she had graduated from her knees to her toes. She was ready mentally and physically for that change and felt like a total bad ass when I pointed it out!
This is what I do in my role as a Nutrition Coach, Fitness guide, etc. I provide accountability. Let me tell you a story. My son is 13-years old. He has had a growth spurt and his voice has started to change. Now, these things did not happen overnight, but I live with him every day so could not tell you exactly when the changes happened. That is what change is like. It does not happen overnight, but as an accountability buddy, I am here to remind you where you started and how far you have come ! Your accountability partner can help you see all the progress you have made. This way, you develop more trust and confidence in your abilities and get the motivation to go further.
When you are doing all of the things you want to do, we celebrate! When things are not working out quite the way they are supposed to, we work together to go back to the drawing board. You know what we don’t do? We don’t quit. There is a reason why you started and I want to help you keep going !