Knocked Up or Knocked Out
By Jessica Sitomer
One day you’re a pot smoking slacker and the next you find out that the one night stand you had with a Type-A woman got her pregnant. While Ben Stone went through many failed attempts to get his life together and be the kind of man Alison Scott wanted him to be, it wasn’t until he lost her that he knew he had to change. A baby is an enormous responsibility. In order to be in his baby’s life, Ben had to prove he could be accountable.
Accountable: liable to being called to account; answerable
In a typical office there is a pyramid with a person in charge at the top. Below that person there can be many levels. At the bottom of the pyramid the people are accountable to the people above them who; in turn, are accountable to the people above them and so on, until they reach the top.
A successful business occurs when everyone is held accountable. That means the proper amount of work is being done in the necessary time frame to create the desired results or better. If an employee doesn’t do the required work in the necessary time frame, there are consequences. The most extreme consequence is termination.
When you know you have phone calls to make or follow up to do but instead you watch TV or go out to run errands, what are the consequences? Seemingly nothing. You justify it by saying you’ll do it tomorrow, right? One of my clients was committed to calling a person he’d been out of touch with, immediately. A month went by and because he had the accountability of meeting with me, he finally made the call.
His old friend said, “I wish you would have called me two weeks ago. I could have used you on my crew.” This illustrates a measurable consequence.
Imagine how many missed opportunities have passed you by. How can you create accountability for yourself? Here are some tips:
1. Find an accountability partner; someone who also has goals they want to achieve, and check in with them, daily or weekly like you would with a supervisor in an office.
2. Find an accountability group; likeminded people who you respect and want to impress (it’s the desire to impress them with your accomplishments that creates the accountability). Share your goals and deadlines with them.
3. Spend money on a program that will hold you accountable. I know when I pay for something I’m going to get my money’s worth!
4. “Throw your hat over the fence.” Tell someone who’s opinion of you matters, that you will have completed your desired action by a certain time. Then follow up with them to tell them it’s done.
It’s too easy to ignore consequences you can’t “see.” Ben couldn’t ignore a baby. He HAD to get it together. DON’T YOU? Can you ignore the career of your dreams? Think about this… how are you going to feel one year from now if you haven’t advanced your career beyond where you are now. Don’t waste any more time!
And… Action!
1. The Possibility Exercise.
What is one action that you’ve put off?
WRITE DETAILED ANSWERS FOR THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
• What is possible if you do it?
• And if that happens, what else is possible?
• And if that happens, what else is possible?
(Keep asking yourself what else is possible until you are unable to imagine putting it off any longer.
2. The Worst Possible Future Exercise
WRITE DETAILED ANSWERS FOR THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
• Where will you be five years from now, if you don’t take action and nothing has changed in your career?
• And if that’s where you are in five years, how will it get worse in ten?
• And if that’s where you’ll be in ten, how will it worsen in twenty?
Compare your two futures. I think we both know which one is more appealing. Take the first step to creating accountability for yourself in the NEXT 24 HOURS. If you still don’t know what to do, contact me for a free 30 minute consultation.
I answer an Entertainment Industry Coach question, daily at www.AndActionBook.blogspot.com
