Three days a week, I do a two-mile walk then 30 minutes of strength training, working a different section of the body each day. When I started, it instructed me to do two to three sets of each Exercise. After 60 days, I went up to four. As you can imagine, some days, time is tight and my mind starts to push me to stop early and go back to work on what I need to get done today. Maybe it’s just me, but some days this grabs me really quickly or if I’m having a low-energy day, I start thinking of not even starting the strength part of my workout.

As part of my accountability, I journal the date and the number of sets on my workout pages. I have discovered that I complete the entire series when I journal in a certain manner. First, I must complete two sets of everything before I can write the date down.

Silly, but mentally this celebrates the fact I am halfway there and the reward of writing the date down actually energizes me to complete the entire routine.

When I finish the third set of every exercise, I take a small break to catch my breath, grab some water and then journal the 4th to signify that I have completed the entire routine. This silly process rewards me for being 75% complete and by writing the 4th down, I will not let myself skip out on the last set of reps I don’t want to change the four to a three and once I have recorded it, so I am compelled to do the last set of burn reps that build the most strength in the workout.

It’s okay and, in fact, a big advantage to have silly things that help us be more accountable. It’s a great idea and tool that leads to high performance. Another one for me is to schedule some creative writing time first thing in the morning when I am at a very high-energy time. What processes or silly things do you have that can help raise your accountability and make you more effective? An accountability partner or coach is another great way to stay locked in for high performance. And sometimes, God just gifts us an accountability partner.

Good morning, CeCe. Yes, I did all four reps today.

Coming in 2023, my new book Leading with Significance breaks through the limiting barriers of common culture theory and demonstrates, with great transparency, the real human emotions that elevate a culture to one that is genuine, enduring and magnetic. Sign up today for updates at joeyhavens.com. 

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Joey Havens Author

Joey Havens, CPA is the author of Leading with Significance. He is currently a partner with HORNE LLP a top 25 CPA firm. He previously served as managing partner of the firm from 2012 to 2021, leading more than 1,800 team members to build the Wise Firm© while passionately living out his life’s calling to help others see and reach their full potential. Prior to being named managing partner in 2012, Joey served as the managing partner of healthcare services and the managing partner of government services, respectively.