Hacking exercise with accountability

I’ve always struggled with staying accountable to myself. I would set myself a goal or task to do and then procrastinate.

But when someone else was involved, I would move heaven and earth to do it on time.

Instead of fighting this, I decided to use it to my advantage. Now my wife holds me accountable, especially since I’ve started my solopreneurship journey.

A few years ago, I wondered if I could apply the same strategy to exercise.

I created an exercise challenge and posted it on Instagram. 7 friends signed up for it.

The challenge: Do 10,000 push-ups in the remainder of the year (that's about 45 push-ups a day).

6 out of 7 friends completed the challenge.

We spurred each other on through the group chat and updated each other about our push-up strategy (E.g. what time works best, how many to do in one go, etc).

Even though many of them hadn’t met, the sense of community and shared goal was powerful.

Since then, we’ve taken on new goals, like 10,000 burpees in a year, and developed a more holistic exercise program for this year.

Today’s prompts are all about exploring the role of accountability in reaching your goals, whether in fitness, work, or other areas of life.

Today’s Prompts

1 - Accountability

What is one goal you’ve struggled to achieve on your own, and how could accountability help?

2 - Accountability

Who in your life could act as an accountability partner, and why would they be a good fit?

3 - Quote of the day

“A leader who doesn’t take accountability for their actions is like a ship without a captain.” – John C. Maxwell

4 - The 'If you don’t have time’ Prompt

What’s one small step you could take today to build accountability into your life?

Get the most out of your journalling:

• Choose one prompt: Focus on just one prompt each day to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

• Be brutally honest: Reflect openly and honestly. This is your safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings.

• Take your time: Sometimes it takes a few days to clarify your thinking. Here’s permission for you to take your time to unravel a prompt and not take on any new ones during that time.

• Journal your way: Whether you prefer writing, audio recording, or video, choose the method that suits you best.

• Don't stress about streaks: If you miss a day, don't worry. You can always revisit a previous prompt.

I’d love your feedback

What was your favourite prompt of the day? Is there any specific challenge you want prompts for? How can I improve the content of the newsletter? Reply this mail and let me know!