“Kids, these days.” Did your parents or grandparents ever use that phrase? I caught myself saying that the other day. I don’t want to be that older person who never has anything nice to say about young people. But as we get older, we also get wiser and we realize that sometimes youth miss the boat when it comes to character and virtue. Been there, done that. Today, let’s talk about accountability.
Let’s dive into what the word accountability means. Accountability is the quality or state of being accountable according to Miriam-Webster. (does anyone use a dictionary anymore?) Especially: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.
Willingness to accept responsibility. Being responsible for your actions, what it is that you can control. Stepping up to the plate, when you are called, so to speak.
That’s why it is so important to always try to do your best. Giving things your all to achieve the best outcomes. Because others are depending on us to give our best and to be accountable.
Growing Up
We learn accountability from a very young age. As we grow, we answer to our parents. They have expectations from us, because they love us and want the best for us. They in turn are accountable to us for our livelihood.
As teens, we look forward to the day when we don’t have to answer to anyone, but we soon find out that that isn’t possible. Because whether in school, or at work, we answer to our teachers and bosses/superiors. When we get married, we answer to our spouses, to a certain extent, because we are accountable to each other.
Being accountable means we keep our promises. We show up when we say we’re going to show up. We pay our bills on time.
Am I being the person that God created me to be, all that I can be?
If we have a faith in God, we also realize we are held accountable, especially to God, our creator. We are accountable for our actions and how we love and treat others. There will be a day of judgement when we will answer for everything we’ve ever done or not done. Even God wants us to be accountable.
At Character & Virtue, we are all about learning to be all that we can be to live a life like no other! Below are some action steps to help you get better at accountability and I also created a free Accountability Worksheet for you to use.
Action Steps
-At the end of each day, take some time to write down or think about the things you did or didn’t do. I started doing what my church calls a daily examination of conscience. It’s a great practice for learning accountability. What are some of the things that I am responsible for that maybe I could be better at taking care of? Write them down. Put them in your journal.
-Find a partner or a good friend to confide in, someone who will push you when you start to lose focus or slack. Ask them to help keep you accountable.
-Practice makes perfect as the saying goes. Just keep showing up, keep showing up, keep showing up. Repetition will help you get it right.
-Be sure to ask for a little forgiveness and some grace when we fail. But learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat those.
Thanks for showing up for me each week. I appreciate you. May God bless your week by helping you to be accountable. Don’t forget to check out the free Accountability Worksheet. It’s a printable pdf.
