Accountability

Hi all!,

Thank you for your responses with goals for 2013. I believe in you, and know you will make it a great year!

A friend of mine reminded me about accountability. This is a very crucial component to accomplish any goal. In order for that to happen, you MUST surround yourself by people that expect the most from you. Too often, we compare ourselves to other people in order to trick ourselves into believing we are on the right track. An example of this is the popularity of TV shows like Jerry Springer or.......... heck, almost anything on TV these days. We see other people's lives in complete turmoil with all sorts of instability, and we think to ourselves, "It could be worse!" Even worse, are rumors, gossip, fabricated stories, and the like that paint a false "lesser" picture of someone else that may make themselves "feel" a little better. A story created about others takes the attention off of themselves. We all remember the lesson in elementary school where one person whispers something in the ear of the next person and the next person, and the next until it gets to the last person. Without fail, the story at the end doesn't have a single remote thing in common with what the first person "heard", which wasn't the "truth" in the first place. (Seems like we would have learned something in elementary school.) Ever ask yourself why that is? Making someone or something else appear worse, makes a lot of people feel less inadequate all the way to the point where they create their own reality and become forever blind to the actual reality in front of their own eyes. What about the news? Its all bad on quite a few stations. Based on surveys and studies, thats what people tune into watch. People watch Nascar for the wrecks. What about the arrest report? That is the number one viewed site on online newspapers. Obituaries? Does anyone else want to hear the good news? Does anyone else want to be inspired, encouraged, or challenged by people doing great, worthy, admirable things? Shouldn't we want to be motivated to be better, and not merely content that our lives seem better than the neighbor's across the street? What happened to "It could be a whole lot better!"? Surrounding yourself with positive, inspirational people with integrity that know you, your goals, and your potential FAR outweighs surrounding yourself with people that make you think sucking is normal.

On top of the goals I have for 2013, a key additional component will be surrounding myself with people that know more than I do, do more than I do, walk the talk, and challenge me to be better on a daily basis. The last newsletter included a picture warning of flat tires if you get off the path. Mentors that you look up to and respect can quickly direct you back to your set path when you take your eyes off the road and hit a ditch. The people 'in' the ditch will laugh it off, make light of it, and make you believe its okay. "Misery loves company." One good thing about the quest to be better is that you also serve to be a mentor to others. This, in itself, keeps a lot of people on the right path because they realize the impact they have on others' lives. You can pull yourself out of a ditch and take others with you. Once you're on the high and solid ground, be available to lend a hand. It makes so much more sense, and a whole lot easier, to pull someone from a ditch when your own footing is on solid ground.

We all need to stop comparing ourselves to others. For the most part, we don't have a clue what lies beyond the persona. There are cops that beat their wives when they get home, vets that kick their dogs, politicians that steal money, quiet soft spoken neighbors that murder.....on and on and on. There is ONE that we should try being like. In the end, that is the only pursuit that matters. Guess what....... We're going to fall short on that one, but at least the mark is accurately/perfectly set, and not one we are creating in order to make ourselves "feel" better. Stop believing a lie dressed in truth and start dancing with the naked truth.

So, along with our 2013 goals, we certainly need to take steps to surround ourselves with a team. A team full of love, understanding, patience, support, and........................ accountability.