6 TRUTHS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

One of my greatest strengths is holding myself accountable for what I do as a fitness professional. It might be easy to make excuses for not completing something, however as I have gotten older I realize there really are not any good excuses.

I admit, I still struggle with this with my clients sometimes because I really want to be source of strength for them. I do not want to be just another person in their lives telling them what they are not doing.

Today is not that day. Today I would like you to hold yourself accountable.

Here are 6 Truths of Accountability:

1.  “BELIEVE IN YOUR MISSION”

What is your mission? It is one thing to tell everyone you are going to lose weight, you are going start exercising, you are going to win the Olympics. It is another thing to actually believe it. Do you believe what you are selling to yourself?

There are many distractions and doubts that will cause you to no longer believe in your mission or change it. There are people in your life that may not believe the same things that you do.  There is no reason to change your mission. If you are passionate about it, then you need to do everything to complete it.

The truths below are going to  help you do this.

2. “DO YOUR RESEARCH”

Once you have decided on your mission it is time to see if it is actually possible. Most likely, it is possible. There are always windows of opportunity; you just need to take them. Do your research and find how much work is required to complete it. Ask the experts. Get a few opinions. Ultimately it is up to you which path you take, and this is the time to weigh all the conditions.

Remember you cannot do this alone.

3. “BUILD YOUR SUPPORT”

You do not have to do this yourself. It is okay to share with people what you want to accomplish. It is also okay to ask for help. From the experts to your closest friends and family, everyone will take on a role during your mission. I do not understand clients and athletes that insist on doing it alone. I understand there is satisfaction in being able to say “I did it by myself, and no one else helped me!” Yet, when you turn around to celebrate your accomplishment there will not be anyone to celebrate it with.

Build your “fan base” so you can share your success.

4. “ENJOY THE PROCESS”

Your mission may be a little out of your reach. It is nice when you can achieve things easily and in a short amount of time. However, most missions a take some time, and the journey may be delayed or stalled for some unseen reason. That is the time to take a look around and see how far you traveled! Remember why you are doing this and who you are this doing for.

Then turn back around and keep going.

5. WELCOME THE CHALLENGE!

It is not easy. It shouldn’t be easy. If there were not any obstacles, then the journey would not be worth it. The most frustrating thing that I hear from clients and athletes today is, “This is too much work.” What ever happened to your EDGE? We are the greatest species on the planet because of our resourcefulness, our ability to choose, and our versatility. Our ability to adapt is one our greatest strengths; if we are not utilizing our abilities as human beings then how can we call ourselves great?

All of us have the ability to accomplish the mission; just at different times.

6.  “GO AT YOUR PACE”

Everyone should go at their own pace. Some of us can explode right out of the gates and accomplish great things in a short amount of time. Some of us need more time. In the end, we all reach the same place, therefore it does not matter how we get there. During our research, we develop a plan and follow it. Our support system will be there along the way and we will have time to enjoy it.

Everyone’s journey is unique.

Moral of the Story

I have been stewing about this blog all week.

Writing is challenging for me, but since I started this blog it has gotten easier. My biggest challenge is saying what I want to say.

I was finally able to write today because of what happened to someone I cared about…

They did not believe in themselves…

It drives me crazy. In this instance, the person had doubts because someone who did not support them told them they were failing.

What right does someone have to tell you you are failing  at your own mission?

My athletes want to see success now. They want to be fast now. Mostly because they see other athletes that are currently having success in training and competition.

Keep in mind that those individuals decided their mission a long time ago. They did their research and have built the necessary support system around them. They are now finally enjoying the process and have settled into their pace.

That is what makes it seem so easy from the outside. They have found balance between the challenges of their mission and their ability to reach their goals.

Stop.

Look down. The starting line is at your feet, and you are just beginning your mission.

Look ahead.

The finish line is there in front of you.

Take these 6 Truths of Accountability with you as you begin your journey…

I am right there with you.

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