I’ve just kicked off a new programme, and here’s something I wrote to the participants:
“I’ve been trialling a slightly more ‘hardcore’ version of this programme with members, and the results have been excellent. One person, for example, has lost two pounds short of a stone in less than 3 weeks!
What’s the big difference between this and most other plans?
ACCOUNTABILITY.”
I’ve always said you need to make yourself accountable if you want to reach your goals. It’s what separates successful people in all ventures from the rest of the pack.
Now, the programme I was referring to above kicked off 3 weeks ago, and to get in the participants had to agree to do 3 things:
- Set a solid goal
- Weigh-in every week and log the weigh-in so we can see they’re on track for their goal
- Log and post photos of what they’re eating in their private group every day
- Attend a team meeting every couple of weeks
When you’re that accountable to me and your team mates, losing 12 pounds of fat in 20 days suddenly makes sense!
Take away the accountability, and you can do anything.
- You can snack when no-one’s looking.
- You can slack off your eating plan because you had meetings all day.
- You can skip your workout because you were a bit sniffly.
This is one of my favourite quotes:
Here’s a few ways you can go from being a wisher to an action taker:
- Book an “After” photo with a professional. Book a bathing-suit shoot, or maybe a boudoir shoot you can give as a gift for a loved one. But literally, book it now for 3 or 4 months from now. When you’re going to strip down to your smalls for a camera in the future, nothing on this earth will stop you from being in shape when you do!
- Send an embarrassing “Fat” photo to a good friend with instructions to release it to the world in a few month’s time. You’ve got two choices then, either still look the same and be embarrassed, or look awesome and when it’s released you can go, “Yeah, but I don’t care any more because look at me now!”
- Join a buddy or a peer group of other people doing the same thing. Agree with them your goals and when you’re going to report them and help them stick to them with them doing the same for you.
- Tell your Facebook friends what you’re doing, then check in every time you’re going to the gym, and regularly post updates of how you’re going so they can post supportive comments and ask you why if suddenly you’re momentum drops.
It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be concrete.
What do you do to keep yourself accountable? Or if you don’t yet, what are you going to do? Comment below!