The Surpisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

more likely it is to become your automatic answer to any adversity.
Highly successful people are clear about their role in the events
of their life. They don’t fear reality. They seek it, acknowledge it, and
own it. They know this is the only way to uncover new solutions,
apply them, and experience a different reality, so they take
responsibility and run with it. They see outcomes as information they
can use to frame better actions to get better outcomes. It’s a cycle
they understand and use to achieve extraordinary results.
One of the fastest ways to bring accountability to your life is to
find an accountability partner. Accountability can come from a
mentor, a peer or, in its highest form, a coach. Whatever the case, it’s
critical that you acquire an accountability relationship and give your
partner license to lay out the honest truth. An accountability partner
isn’t a cheerleader, although he can lift you up. An accountability
partner provides frank, objective feedback on your performance,
creates an ongoing expectation for productive progress, and can
provide critical brainstorming or even expertise when needed. As for
me, a coach or a mentor is the best choice for an accountability
partner. Although a peer or a friend can absolutely help you see things
you may not see, ongoing accountability is best provided by someone
to whom you agree to be truly accountable. When that’s the nature of
the relationship, the best results occur.
Earlier, I discussed Dr. Gail Matthews’s research that individuals
with written goals were 39.5 percent more likely to succeed. But
there’s more to the story. Individuals who wrote their goals and sent
progress reports to friends were 76.7 percent more likely to achieve
them. As effective as writing down your goals can be, simply sharing
your progress toward your goals with someone regularly even just a
friend, makes you almost twice as effective.
Accountability works.
Ericsson’s research on expert performance confirms the same
relationship between elite performance and coaching. He observed