Accountability #1 – The Power of Diaries
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n the preceding article ‘Accountability – An Introduction to Motivation’ we discussed that the most efficient way to ensure your continued motivation toward an objective is to be held accountable. To further optimise this process we must implement several tools at one time – all of which are set in place to hold us to account for achieving our goals. One such tool that can be effectively used to improve your motivation is a diary. Diaries are easy to implement, simple to use and are essentially cost free.
All of us experience spurs of motivation every now-and-then. To fully utilise these short moments in time it is prudent to set yourself written goals in the form of a diary, calendar, to-do-list, exercise regime etc (note: the word ‘diary’ in this article relates to all forms of self-written declarations including to-do-lists, exercise regiments, goal lists, plans etc). By taking the time to do this we automatically hold our future-self accountable making it harder for us to forget about or avoid doing what needs to be done.
A reflective diary can also be an incredibly useful mechanism for rallying internal motivation. Diaries, notepads or the like which reflect on past successes or thresholds may motivate us to further ourselves beyond that which we have previously achieved. Recording data about your gym routine and improvements in fitness, for example, can demonstrate a long term trend of weight loss, strength gains or whatever fitness goals you may have. Having the ability to look ba
ck on the past can also help to identify and solidify in our minds what works – and what doesn’t – assisting us in avoiding making the same mistakes repeatedly.
In essence the use of diaries places an accountability upon your future self through harnessing your current motivated state.
Try creating a diary, to-do-list or gym routine the next time you find yourself in a zone of pure motivation. Place effort upon tailoring it to your needs and your goals and assess whether it would motivate you to see it again or whether it would likely trigger something inside you to activate your dormant motivation.
Download the pdf template for a gym routine program below:
Check out other posts from the Be|Prime accountability series:
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