In my opinion, being ACCOUNTABLE to YOURSELF for the plans and actions you take daily, is perhaps the single most important distinction of a mature and responsible individual. In this week's lesson, we'll try to elaborate on this observation.
When we are children, we feel pressured to be accountable to our parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches and friends. We are often motivated into action for FEAR of the penalties or embarrassment we will face from inaction or not following instructions. Fear forces us to be ACCOUNTABLE to perform. As adults we will avoid running through red lights for FEAR of a ticket, a fine, higher insurance rates, or losing our privilege to drive. We feel the pressure to be ACCOUNTABLE to conform to laws or suffer the consequences. Instead we should follow laws for positive reasons like safety and the moral good they do in society.
In our careers, we move into action because we become ACCOUNTABLE to our employers or customers and a failure to perform could cost us future promotions or even losing our jobs. Fear is a strong motivator and unfortunately it's sometimes the only motivator in people's lives. If someone is not accountable to perform a job or task, they just might not feel compelled to do it.
Here's an idea: How about instead of being primarily motivated by fear, you shift to being primary motivated by Pleasure or Desire. Working towards a goal that you really desire can easily help you to make the shift. Setting goals because you want more pleasure in your life is fantastic, but often very difficult to get started on. The reason is that you must develop the discipline to be accountable to YOURSELF or perhaps to your spouse or children.
Being accountable to yourself means accepting that "You are who you are and where you because of the choices that you have made." That can be a tough pill to swallow, and most will avoid doing so. But once you accept that the aforementioned statement is true, you are on your way to becoming a mature and responsible individual.
You can now think to yourself, "O.K., well if I'm where I'm at because of my choices, then I will choose to set a goal to do something that I really want." If you act on that thought, you have just become accountable to yourself. This is your nature; it is your birthright. Unfortunately, too many individuals never make that claim.
If you don't decide to be accountable to YOURSELF, and don't set out to achieve your OWN goals, you become a prime target for others to decide for you. There is no shortage of opportunistic, articulate, and crafty individuals who will gladly make plans for you. Your weakness has become their strength. The fact that they have no right to plan someone else's life doesn't matter. You gave them the key to the door. Become accountable to yourself and set your own goals and avoid having others set them for you.
If this intrigues you, then here's where to begin: First, think of what you might really enjoy doing in life. What will get you up and get you going every morning. Then, set goals to grow your skills and do whatever it takes to be good at whatever it is. Invest quality time each and every day toward achieving your goals. Turn your plans into action and make yourself accountable for doing so.
With such a game plan, you'll keep the opportunists at bay. You're no good to them. You know what you're doing with your life, and they specialize in people who don't have a plan.
Whether you're aware of this or not, this was the philosophy of the first people who came to America. These are America's founding principles. The ability to carve out your own life, be accountable to yourself and your family, and have no one hassle you or make plans for who you will be or what you will do with your life. This philosophy caused the greatest migration of people in history. For the first time ever, there was a place on Earth where man could live according to his will and nature.
If you could grasp this concept of ACCOUNTABILITY, it could change your thinking forever. For once you are driven into action because you WANT to and not because you HAVE to, your whole world could change. You will want to read more; take courses to build your skills; join organizations in order to network with other motivated people; and broaden your overall horizons. You will be motivated from within and ACCOUNTABLE to YOURSELF to perform at your very best. Ponder these concepts and move into more pleasurable territory today!