Today I launched The Accountability Experiment. Technically, it started May 1st, but I was a bit oversubscribed earlier which set me behind pace.
But no excuses! Full steam ahead.
What is the ‘The Accountability Experiment?’…
Each month I will wager at least $200 on my ability to complete a set of monthly goals that I create for myself. Don’t worry, I’m no sandbagger.
Here’s the overview…
Achieving goals is hard. Holding oneself accountable is also hard. Having support is great. Receiving recognition is desired. And financial rewards (or punishments) are motivating.
I want to collide these five forces to help me actually DO the things I said I would do back on December 31, 2020. Typically, I’d write my goals in a spreadsheet that I’d check once every 4-6 weeks to remind myself what I should be working on. And typically, by the end of the year I’d have fallen off the horse and would be lucky to have completed 50% of what I set out to do.
Well gosh darn it, May has snuck up on us and I’m not as far along with my annual goals as I’d like!
It’s time to change things up so that by New Year’s Eve I will be standing atop my mountain (with rippling quad muscles), looking back on all the awesome shit that 2020 KC said I’d do.
So I am putting my money where my mouth is…literally.
Here are the rules…
Each month, I quantify my goals to be tracked and completed (scroll to the bottom for my list of May goals).
If I complete 90-100% of what I said I’d do in a given month, I keep my $200 (need to factor in a 10% “life gets in the way buffer” right?)
If I complete 80-89%, my Accountability Coach pockets 20% of my wager.
If I complete less than 80%, my Accountability Coach gets the whole pot. (Laziness has a price!)
Who and What is my Accountability Coach?
Coach is a trusted friend who wants to see me crush life and achieve my goals.
Coach will periodically check on my progress and will supply that extra nudge to get moving on my monthly goals.
Coach also has no qualm about taking my money 😉
So then what happens?….
If I accomplish my goals in a month, I’m pumped, Coach gets to see his friend succeed, and I keep my money. A Win-Win-Win.
If I fall short, Coach can help me figure out what went wrong, I get my shit together for the next month, and Coach pockets some cash. A Lose-Lose-Win…?
Coach also has one more tool in his utility belt. Each month Coach will publish my results to my close family and friends – these are people who want to see me succeed and who I don’t want to fail in front of.
They can cheer me on for completing my goals or set me straight when I fall short.
Why do this?…
Because I want to get better at the things I enjoy doing and sometimes I cant get the job done alone.
My theory is that support & recognition from loved ones coupled with the fear of losing hard-earned cash will help me summit my December 31, 2021 mountain top.
Goals for May:
- Complete 26 Triathlon Workouts
- Read 3 Books (or 900 pages)
- Write for 26 days
- Publish 2 Blog posts (one down after this post!)
Game on!
K.C. Clark 