The thing about accountability is, if no one knows what it is we are putting off, no one is really harmed, beyond ourselves anyway. Its a “if a tree falls in the forest” kind of thing. I personally am always more likely, in fact driven, to get things done if I know that by not doing it I am putting someone else out, or making them fall behind, or what have you. If the only person harmed is me, however, I am much less worried if I don’t manage to get a task or action done.
I believe I actually said this very thing on a call with my success group not too long ago. I was asked why I had not put the same priority on an action that was “just for me” as opposed to an action that another person was relying on me to get done. I felt much more inclined toward completing the action that had someone else’s deadline attached than one that only had my own, even though that action was still important and would have contributed greatly to creating some much-needed balance in my life.
Why do I place greater importance, or at the very least urgency, on actions that are going to affect someone beyond myself? Why, when the only person I am answering to is me, do I feel that it is more acceptable to let myself down than someone else?
Is this the reason why our success group is so successful, for each of us as members? Would we constantly just be letting ourselves down if we did not have to own up each week to what we did or did not get done? Why is it that without having someone else to say “how come you didn’t get that action completed?” we would so readily put things off?
Let’s hear your thoughts!!