Stratejoy Manifesto Part 3: Makin’ it Happen with Accountability

[Welcome to a 4 part Blog Post on the philosophy behind Stratejoy.  We’ll hit the 4 Pillars of Inspiration, Clarity, Accountability & Camaraderie over the next 2 weeks. Stay tuned & if you like–share with a friend or two!]

We’ve covered Inspiration and Clarity.  We’ve pumped ourselves up & let our imaginations go wild.  We’ve heard our call to live a life of authentic happiness & found the internal motivation to go for it. We’ve even done the cerebral work of designing our vision of success.

It’s been fun & aspirational & full of daisies so far.

Not that I want to burst your bubble, but now it’s time to execute.

And that takes work.

“Becoming lastingly happy demands making permanent changes that require effort and commitment everyday of your life.  Pursuing happiness takes work, but consider this “happiness work” the most rewarding work you’ll do.” –Sonja Lyubomirsky in The How of Happiness

Well put, Ms. Lyubomirsky.

Inspiration & Clarity are key ingredients that allow us to begin the journey of lifestyle design.  They provide a strong start– your eyes are open to the possibilities, you feel motivated to take action, you’re clear on where you’re headed–  but it’s still only a start.

Next, you need to put together a plan of action and polish your following through skills.  You need to execute! In order to live the life you’ve designed, the one aimed towards happiness, meaning & purpose, you’ll need to cultivate habits that support your goals.

“Execution is the missing link between aspiration and results.”  –Ram Chara

There are countless ways to cultivate habits that help you execute your big goals. I’m still figuring on my personal award winning combination, but I’ve gathered up a few of my top contenders to share with you.

3 Methods of Goal Execution

• The principle of Kaizen. According to Wikipedia, “Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life”.  It is often used in businesses as way for employees to implement small positive change each day.  In your own personal development, you can practice Kaizen by focusing on accomplishing just one small step each & every day, eventually resulting in the conquering of big goals.

• Tracking. In order to execute, you need to know what tasks to focus on and when. There a million systems out there for keeping track of your goals & progress.  Personally, I tend to focus on a few 360-180-90-30 day goals in a homemade spreadsheet, and then use more general “themes” to balance daily activities.  Some find the site, Joe’s Goals, very helpful in tracking daily habits.

• One Major Change at a Time. Leo Babauta, creator of the fantabulous blog, Zen Habits, is a huge proponent of tackling one change at a time.  The basis of this thought is that a specific focus gives you more time & energy to be effective.  Your energy will be funneled into “stopping smoking” or “volunteering” or “learning Portuguese” instead of “stopping smoking & volunteering & learning Portuguese” all at once.

So what does the third pillar, Accountability, have to do with execution?

Everything!

The philosophy behind Accountability is born out of my own experience. It’s not deep, it’s not magical.  It’s practical.  And it works.

I get things done when I tell other people I’m going to do them, when I make a public commitment, or when I know someone will be checking up on me.  I know, I know- I should be able to hold myself accountable…  And sometimes I can! It is my bold, thrilling life after all. But sometimes, even with the best of intentions, I can’t seem to hold myself accountable.

It seems I’m much more crafty at breaking promises to myself, than to others. And I’ve found many women suffer from the same affliction.

Canceling a coffee date with an acquaintance we made a month ago?  Never!

Sleeping in instead of going to the gym like I told myself I would?  Snooze button, here I come!

Yes, I probably need to work on this. And yes, I admire women who seem to execute daily from a deep well of internal willpower.  But my goals are born out of true reflection and deep clarity, so who cares if I use a productivity hack to make them happen?

Accountability is something I provide to my clients. After you’d done the big dreaming & scheming, I ask you what you’d like to accomplish and how you plan on doing it. And then I follow up. I’m not an evil task mistress or drill sargent, but I am interested in hearing about your progress.  Or your struggles.  I’m on your side, either way.

I’ve found that being held accountable in that simple, small way is just enough of a kick in the butt to facilitate some major changes & forward movement.

Would Accountability help you accomplish some big goals?

I’m wagering on Yes.