Becoming Super Woman: How To Get The Power Of Accountability
By admin
An Important Introduction…
Yesterday morning I did something I regretted.
My alarm buzzed at 5:03am to get ready for my track training with a few of my girlfriends. I got up, got dressed, ate a bite, threw on my Mizunos, and grabbed my keys.
The moment I had my bundle of keys in hand (I swear I have a dozen keys on my keychain), my phone beeped with a text:
My two friends weren’t able to make it to the track, so what did I do?
I slipped my shoes off and tip-toed back to bed where I was immediately felt a nauseating blow of guilt.
As soon as I pulled the covers back to slide on in, Dan woke up and asked:
“You’re not running this morning?”
When I told him what happened he responded back with an honest answer…
“That doesn’t mean you can’t get your training in.”
Ouch… Low blow… but so true. I hate to say it, but my husband was right.
I laid there for a few minute contemplating my options:
1 – Get up and go to the track.
2 – Go back to bed
I went back to bed.
But not before deciding how to make things right and realizing that I was relying on others to get me going:
What happened to holding myself accountable?
Normally Thursday mornings are my mornings off… not this week. This Thursday I’ll be at that track, completing the mile repeats I was suppose to do yesterday.
Which brings me to the point I wanted to make:
No matter how many friends/training partners you have to keep you accountable (which is awesome)… the most pressure still lies on yourself.
Don’t let anyone stop you from moving forward.
And Most Important Of All…
How To Hold Yourself Accountable
-Tell yourself that this workout might make the difference.
In my eyes, skipping a speed workout is worst than skipping a long training run. The mile repeat workout that I missed may have made the difference in my 10K time being a 45.05 or a 44.58 (which I’m trying to break 45 minutes).
Not just for running, every workout gets you one step closer to the goals you have set for yourself. Remind your of that!
-If you miss, what happens then?
If you think about skipping out of a workout, mull over your schedule. Will you have the opportunity to make it up later in the day? Or week? If not, then get it over with and be thankful that you have the time, right now, to do it.
Luckily, I can make up my track workout Thursday!
-Will you feel guilty?
Another important question to ask yourself. If you’re watching what you eat and you’ve made a vow to eat clean Monday through Friday, yet you’re having a showdown with a mean looking chocolate chip cookie… are you going to feel guilty if you cave?
If the answer is yes, then lower your stare and walk away. It’s not worth it.
If you won’t feel an ounce of remorse, then go for it.
-Be An Example.
If your friends aren’t able to workout, don’t let that be an excuse for you not to either. Use it to be an example! Get up, get it done, and walk away knowing that you were able to accomplish whatever it was on your own.
Your friends will be proud of you (and likely disappointed they weren’t able to join in).
I hate that my running ladies got sick, but I hate even more that I allowed it to stop my own progress… fail.
-Keep A Fitness Or Nutrition Diary
Keeping track of your personal workouts or nutritional choices is perhaps the #1 most beneficial thing you can do to keep yourself accountable.
If you miss a scheduled workout or grab for a donut instead of the bowl of scrammbled eggs, having to track that stinks. And can really help you push that donut aside or hit the gym. No ones wants to track the bad things they do… so try to limit them.
For me, I of course have the blog but I also keep a small notebook in my purse to track miles. I rely on Tuesday track workouts to get in 5-6 miles, and now that’s 5-6 miles that aren’t going to be accounted for. Boo.
-Remember your goals. Focus on your goals.
Every morning look in the mirror and announce your goals. Reinforcing them on a daily basis will give you that extra bit of motivation to stay focused, excited and on track to make them happen.
I want a 44.58 minute 10K time come November… that’s over 4 minutes faster than my current PR. Yup, every training session counts.
I may have not started the morning off right, but I learned a lot about myself. I know it might seem trivial to some… not to me. Now I feel more motivated than ever before! I’ll let you know how the run goes tomorrow morning!
Keep this list posted up to help you! I know I’ve got mine as a constant reminder.
Do you have a hard time holding yourself accountable?
Do you ever feel guilty missing a workout or going off your nutrition plan?