Stay on Track with these Accountability Hacks
One of the biggest obstacles to reaching your goals is falling back into the old habits and routines that drove you to a place of wanting to change.
We've been told time and time again that goal setting and having a game plan is an essential step to making long-lasting changes in your health and fitness journey.
Don't get us wrong, it is one of the most important steps. However, if you don't address your current mindset and the underlying beliefs of what you think you are capable of achieving, chances are, you're going to end up right back where you started.
Accountability should be the foundation for every task or goal that you set out to achieve. Knowing what is within your control, and more importantly knowing what to do about it will be a game changer not only in your health and fitness journey, but in your life.
Mindset Coach and Neuroscientist Alexis Fernandez shares her top hacks to help you stay accountable and make long-lasting lifestyle changes.
Alexis's first step to accountability is taking ownership for your actions, and being prepared to do this journey on your own.
"If other people join you, that's amazing and while it definitely helps, every time you put the fate of your goals in the hands of someone else, you no longer take full responsibility for your own trajectory.
If you're relying solely on a training partner to workout with, or waiting for motivation from a family member who said they would help you stay accountable, then you're at the mercy of someone else, and this isn't acceptable, especially for long-term success".
You need to be determined that no matter who is with you or not, and no matter who ‘lets you down’, you will not play the blame game or put the responsibility on anyone but yourself.
"You can only change if you can identify where you can take responsibility or ownership over something. If you don’t take control of your actions and hold your power, you will always feel that things are happening TO you and that you're just reacting to the situation".
The more control and ownership you have over your goals, the more likely you are to take action and follow through.
Once you understand that you're 100% responsible, the next step that Alexis preaches is to raise your standards.
"Look at who you are now and how you think about yourself. This is a summation of all your old self beliefs and thought patterns, and the most dominant thoughts you've held for yourself have now manifested as your current reality.
What you think you are capable and deserving of, or how you think you should be treated by yourself and others will always come to life. If you keep thinking the way you have always thought, you will keep living the same way and nothing will change. End of story.
But if you're prepared to raise your standards about what you are capable of and deserving of, then sooner than later your life will begin to reflect that. Remember, your standards are YOURS to set, not what others think of you".
Your thoughts are a powerful tool, and you need to be selective with what your dominant thoughts will be, as those are the thoughts that become your belief system.
Alexis shares a task to help you reflect on your thoughts and shape positive self belief.
"Right now, I want you to pull out a pen and paper and write down all your current goals and the things you need to do to get there.
After you've made a list, picture someone who achieves what they set out to do and manages to stay consistent, be accountable for their actions, and pick themselves back up when they fall.
Next, write down what you would imagine what their self-talk and beliefs would be. Get creative and write it all down. Now put that list of beliefs next to your bed. This is now your new belief system, your new self-talk".
Go back to your list of goals, and make sure they are time-bound with a clear date you want to achieve them by. One way to stay accountable to your deadlines is picking an exciting event like an upcoming vacation or holiday to work towards achieving your goal by.
If you’re currently participating in a MWU Program, you've already made the important step of committing to your goals for the next few weeks.
Treat your fortnightly check-ins like an accountability check point.
Each check-in is an important opportunity to assess your performance, reflect on how you're tracking, and make any necessary changes to your plan so you're on track to reaching your goal.
If you're looking for a community of likeminded people to stay inspired and accountable, our Move With Us Community Forum is a safe and supportive space to share your goals, wins, and ask questions.
Whether you're completing a Program or not, we would love to have you as part of our Facebook community of over 80,000 inspiring women around the world.
Now is the time to take accountability and chase your goals. Don’t hesitate, don’t procrastinate, start today.
