Have Someone To Tell You When You Suck

Yesterday, I posted an essay that I would not consider my finest work.

It wasn’t my first. It won’t be my last.

Although I will try and avoid making the same mistakes.

I got some head nods of approval because people are polite.

Then my accountability partner sent me a 4-paragraph “WTF” message. Perhaps I am exaggerating. Maybe it was just “wtf”.

My initial reaction was a “haha” of self-deprecation. Followed by a litany of half-ass deflections. Follow by a moment of defensive passive aggression. I even called him a “Mr-sticks-to-one-subject”. I was kidding. Kind of.

But it was direct, actionable and valuable feedback.

And for that I am thankful.

It got me thinking. Why don’t we have more accountability partners in our lives? Or why don’t we build more accountability into our personal systems?

Is it because it’s unsexy to talk about? I’ve been out of the game for a bit, but I imagine few people, if any, put “accountable” at the top of their dating profile.

It’s not too much fun, I get that. But consider the alternative.

I stopped being accountable to myself for a while and it almost ruined things that mattered to me. I almost became the person I’d heretofore spent my life saying I would never be. It’s the Ghost of our Past, Present and Future.

Accountability drives feedback loops because you kept showing up, even on the days you didn’t put forth your best effort. You still got in the arena. And it’s far better to know the hard truth than a believe a reassuring fable.

Thank-you to all the accountability partners out there, you are the wind beneath my wings.

I kid. But not really.