Accountability

Accountability is sometimes the only "ingredient" missing from hitting your ultimate goal.  The new year crowd had great intentions, but due to a lack of accountability, they "lost their way" by the end of February.  By the way, I like to use quotes in random "places" because it's "fun".  "See"? 

Anyway, that got me thinking... I've been running boot camps for over 3 years.  One thing I've noticed is that when just one person is missing, I hear others ask, "I wonder where she is at?" and things like that.  It's no suprise that when people do miss group settings they have to answer to others.  It's usually a legitimate excuse like being sick, out of town, etc., etc.  But when things are fine and others are expecting you, you have an incentive to simply show up.  One of my web-coaching clients emailed me a link to an app that can be very useful when all you need is accountability.  That also struck an idea to share some accountability ideas that I've done with my clients as well as learned from others being in the fitness biz.

Trick # 1
http://www.getupp.com/
This is an app you can use with your Iphone.  One of my web-coaching clients told me about this one.

Trick # 2
 http://www.stickk.com/
The website speaks for itself...

Trick # 3
Choose a charity.  Choose an amount.  Choose a goal.  Choose a deadline. (For example, The American Red Cross, $50, committing to 3 resistance workouts a week for 10 weeks, which equals 30 resistance training workouts).  Tell anybody and everybody about this.  If you don't hit the goal/deadline, you gotta shell out $50 (or more) to the charity you chose.  Tel help with proof that you're doing the workouts, use a workout log or take a picture of yourself with your phone at the gym.  When money is on the line, it can spark "interest" <---- by the way, AWESOME use of the quote right there.

Trick # 4
Blog about it.  That's right, tell the whole world your plans and your goals.  I've seen numerous people do this and it does work.  Blog your ultimate goal and then tell how you plan on doing it.  If you blog it, you're serious.


Those are just a few tricks to spark your efforts again. But don't make this mistake... you can't draw motivation from other people.  Motivation and the desire has to come within you, and that starts with the "why".  Sure, motivation books and audio sources are great tools to keep you in the game (I even use them), but your biggest source must be within you.   Use the tools around you (friends, family, co-workers, etc., etc.).  There is no shame in that.  Why do you think I ask my wife to hide the Girl Scout Cookies?  :)

To your success,
Mikey