Learning to become more accountable, whether to yourself or others in your personal or progression life, does not just happen overnight. It requires learning and hard work and being accountable is not only one skill. It is actually the combination of many different habits and mindsets that help you to be responsible and accept your role. If you want to learn to become more accountable, then there are the habits you should be focusing on developing, starting now.
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The Top Habits of Accountability
1| Taking Responsibility
To become more accountable, you must learn to step up and take responsibility for your role, actions, and contributions. Even if you are not responsible for the final outcome, you have a job to do or a part to play, and you must accept responsibility for this, no matter how big or small.
2| Avoiding Excuses
The most accountable people are those who refuse to make excuses or cast blame on others for their own mistakes. If you fail or experience a setback, own it, and make amends. Learn from your stumbles and push ahead. Excuses are a way to absolve yourself of accountability, so stop this bad habit now.
3| Controlling Emotions
Being accountable does not mean you have to become a robot, but it does mean you do not allow your personal feelings to interfere with your ability to follow through on a commitment. Allowing negative emotions to derail your progress toward a goal is not productive, and accountable people know how to prevent strong feelings from clouding their judgment or affecting their performance.
4| Being Dependable
Accountability is doing what you say you will do when it needs to be done. It is showing up on time. It is completing tasks on schedule so that others can do their part. Being accountable allows others to do their job well and to trust that you will follow through, no matter what.
5| Getting the Help Needed
It is rare in life that you can carry out a goal or realize a dream without the help and support of other people. Being accountable means knowing your own strengths but also being able to ask for help when you know you need it. You are never the victim when you are accountable because you know that there is always help to be had when you ask the right people.
6| Setting Clear Expectations
If you want to be accountable, you must know precisely what it is you are expected to do. This means understanding your goal and role and asking questions when needed. Learning to become more accountable requires identifying areas of confusion, solving problems, and communicating with yourself or others about what is necessary and essential.
7| Finding Intrinsic Motivation
Being accountable means that the accomplishment of the goal is the reward; you do not need praise from others to work hard or meet your deadlines. Instead, you value the work and collective purpose, which should be satisfaction enough. While recognition is nice, it is not why you hold yourself accountable or develop these new habits.
Final Thoughts
Being responsible is only part of being accountable. Accountability is how you are judged on the completion of a task or the realization of a goal, and while others may play a role in helping with that, you must learn to accept your role for yourself.
It is difficult sometimes to be accountable, especially when life gets in the way or you do not believe whole-heartedly in the goal. But the habits mentioned here are crucial if you want to start being more accountable, even if it is just to yourself. You must practice every day to develop these skills and ways of thinking, and over time, you will find that you see yourself in a whole new way.
