Did you know that you are responsible for every thing you say and do? I could have written a book on all of the excuses that I used when arguing about this with my coach. “But my trauma!” “But they said..” “But I’m tired all the time!” “But the grief!” “But I was drunk!” All valid as excuses. But not at all valid as free passes. At the end of the day, you can try to dismiss your words and actions, but you are still responsible for them.
WHAT IS ACCOUNTABILTY?
Accountability is the willingness (or obligation) to accept responsibility for your own actions, decisions, and the outcomes. It involves being answerable to others and transparent about the results, and ensuring that commitments are met and standards are upheld. It is essential in personal behavior, professional environments, and governance to build trust, improve performance, and maintain integrity.
WHAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY IN RELATION TO RADICAL SELF-CARE?
Accountability in relation to Radical Self-Care is the practice of taking full responsibility for your own well-being, setting clear boundaries, and consistently honoring commitments to yourself. It involves recognizing and addressing personal needs, emotions, and limits without external prompting, ensuring that self-care isn’t neglected or compromised. This form of accountability empowers you to prioritize yout mental, emotional, and physical health as a radical act of self-respect and preservation.
THE FIVE STAGES OF RADICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
- Show Up For Yourself
– The first stage – the foundation – of radical accountability is about being present and committed to your own growth and well-being. It means acknowledging your needs, values, and goals, and taking responsibility for your actions and decisions. Showing up for yourself requires self-awareness and honesty, recognizing where you stand without judgment. This step sets the tone by establishing a foundation upon which you begin building a strong relationship with yourself, which empowers you to face challenges, learn from mistakes, and stay aligned with your true purpose. - Application
– This is the stage of radical accountability where you start working with what you know — what you want to change, and the way you understand you need to do things in order to start making those changes. you have constant goals, big and small — everything from meeting your basic needs to cessation of bad habits to nailing that personal best in the gym, etc. the application phase is simply doing the next right thing with what you know. - Evaluate
– Evaluation is the continuous process of monitoring your actions, behaviors, and words against your desired outcomes, considering your starting point. Are you making meaningful progress? Are you still engaging in habits that hold you back? Are you stuck at a certain stage? This is the moment to observe carefully and take note of how things are unfolding. - Adjust
– Based on the thorough evaluation you conduct, you make thoughtful adjustments to your current efforts with the goal of eliminating strategies and actions that do not produce positive results, adding more of what is working effectively, and continuing to promote and enhance the approaches that help us maintain steady growth and ongoing success. - Stabilize!
– This is the moment to pause and celebrate your successes, no matter how small. What may seem like a simple daily routine — taking a shower, getting dressed all the way to shoes — can be a major achievement for someone else. Every victory deserves recognition. By stabilizing at this new level of accomplishment, even with daily wins, you prevent ourselves from feeling stuck at the bottom of the mountain you’re climbing. You show up, take action, reflect, adjust, and steady yourself at this higher level, because even two steps above yesterday is progress.
BENEFITS OF RADICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Radical accountability offers numerous benefits that can significantly enhance both personal growth and professional development. By embracing this powerful approach,you build a sense of transparency, responsibility, and trust within yourself. This, in turn, leads to improved decision-making, a stronger relationship with yourself (and with others as a byproduct), and greater overall effectiveness. Radical accountability encourages you to take full ownership of your actions and outcomes, which promotes continuous learning and resilience in the face of challenges.
ALWAYS BE RADICALLY ACCOUNTABLE
Practicing radical accountability helps to eliminate excuses and blame, creating a more positive and proactive environment. It empowers you to confront problems head-on, enabling quicker resolution. Ultimately, making radical accountability a practice ensures lasting success by building integrity, enhancing communication, and establishing a deeper sense of commitment and motivation across the board.