Have you thought about your goal accountability lately? We’re far from January, when goal setting is high. What about following through with those goals?
Goals are fun to set, and they’re even more fun to achieve. All the work in the middle though? That’s not as much fun. It’s a ton of hard, usually mundane, WORK.
Since we’re now halfway through 2019, I think it is a perfect time for a goal accountability check-in on our goals for this year.
I’m going to explain how you can go through goal accountability for yourself, and then I’m going to do a goal accountability check-in with my personal goals for 2019 not only so you can see this practice in action, but also so I can be accountable to you.
How to Do a Goal Accountability Check-In
While goals are ALWAYS fun to set, sometimes it’s not so fun to do the hard part of holding yourself accountable.
Sure, there’s all the hard work you have to do to achieve your goal. But even harder is the cold accountability of looking at the goals you wrote for yourself and answering the simple question:
Did I accomplish my goal or not?
The answer can be hard to swallow. Sometimes my priorities change and I decide some goals weren’t worth pursuing at the time. But other times I wanted to achieve a goal, and I just didn’t do what it took to get to my destination. And that’s all on me. This is what goal accountability is all about.
Step One: Find the goals you wrote down
Did you write down goals at the beginning of the year? Or did you write down the goals you are currently working on?
If not, you NEED to start writing down your goals going forward, because this exercise is powerful. Having written goals avoids you changing and compromising the goals in your head.
Step Two: Answer questions about each goal
Make some space in between your goal (on paper or in a word document) and answer the questions below for each goal.
You will need this space so you can document your answers.
Compare your written down, SMART goals to where you are RIGHT NOW and answer the simple question: Have you achieved your goal?
If the answer is yes, great!
If not, then keep going deeper.
Are you on track to achieve your goal by the desired date? Why or Why not?
Step Three: Take some time to reflect on your answers
If your desired date is already past and you didn’t achieve your goal, why not? Think hard and take personal accountability for the answer.
Do you still want to achieve this goal? If so, then set a new date and plan to accomplish it.
Think about the tools you need to use and the steps you need to take to close the gap between where you are right now, and where you want to be. This is exactly how you practice goal accountability.
Then, MAKE IT HAPPEN!
[convertkit form=878335]
Goal Accountability: A Personal Check-In
Now I’m going to go through the goals I set with you at the beginning of 2019, and I’m going to practice this accountability.
In my original 2019 Goals post, I discussed the 5 areas of life that need goals. These 5 areas are:
- Physical Health
- Professional Development
- Financial
- Social
- Personal Development
Let’s start with physical health, because that’s what this blog is aimed at.
Physical Health
Goal: Run 3 Half Marathons: Salt Lake City, Ogden, and the Air Force Half Marathon.
My goal for the Salt Lake City Marathon was to finish in 2:10:00 or less, and I finished in 2:08:11. The Ogden Half Marathon was 1 month later and although I didn’t have a specific goal for that race, I finished in 2:10:01. I felt strong and great at the finish.
The Air Force Half Marathon is in September so it hasn’t happened yet, but one of the big things I wanted to do this year was apply for the MAJCOM Challenge team and just see if I get accepted.
I really had no idea if I would get selected or not because they don’t publicize any time standards or their selection process. I applied for my MAJCOM Challenge team in April and was notified in June that I got selected!
Thus, the Air Force Half Marathon is my next big goal race, and I’m planning on breaking 2 hours in this race, while representing both my organization and myself well.
Goal: Weigh 150 pounds or less by the Salt Lake City Half Marathon and 145 pounds or less by the Air Force Half Marathon.
The morning of the Salt Lake City Half Marathon, I weighed 154.8. Needless to say, I missed my goal…by quite a bit. I could make a whole bunch of excuses for why I didn’t hit this goal, but I really just wasn’t doing everything necessary to make the pounds come off.
When they say it’s really hard to train for a distance race and lose weight at the same time, it’s the truth. Right now, I’m focusing on hitting my goal or at least getting a LOT closer for the Air Force Half Marathon. I know that shedding those pounds will also help make it easier to break the 2 hour mark.
Since I’m focused in on that goal, I’m making some hard decisions.
I LOVE wine and eating out, but I’m cutting it back significantly in the next 6 weeks while I focus on fat loss during the first half of my training plan. Once the miles get higher in the second half of my training plan, I’m going to need the extra calories in my diet and trying to maintain a deficit will be rough. I’m planning out my nutrition and saying “No” more if I know a situation or food will jeopardize my goal, and I’m taking everything one day at a time.
If I focus on taking the necessary actions each day, it’ll turn into a great week. A few great weeks will take me to my goal. It’s doable, it just takes some effort and commitment.
This is the hard part about goal accountability.
Goal: Run an average of 20 miles per week.
As of June, my weekly average mileage (including all of my outlier low mileage weeks) is 20.8 miles per week. So far, I’m right on track with this goal!
[convertkit form=964110]
Professional Development
Goal: Take 1 MBA course per term through the year and complete with a “B” or higher.
I admitted even when I set this goal, that this wasn’t one of my highest priorities. At the beginning of the year, I did complete 1 class and received an “A”. After that, I needed a break.
I took the term after that off too because I knew we’d be in the middle of moving into our new house and getting the yard put together.
Originally, I stated that this is something I need to complete within the next 5 years for my career. After some more evaluation, I would really like to have my MBA completed before I separate from active duty and start applying for civilian jobs. Therefore, I plan to complete it in 2 ½ years from now.
We moved into our new home the last weekend in June and will spend most of July getting all of the landscaping and our yard done. In August my next term starts, and I won’t be skipping any terms from there until it’s complete!
Financial
Goal: Increase our net worth by $20,000
This goal seems pretty cut and dry. If you were to just look at the numbers, my husband and I have done a great job of cutting our expenses at the beginning of this year and saving hard-core—this goal is already accomplished. However, nearly all of that and then some will be spent on closing costs and landscaping expenses (which don’t really help our net worth immediately). Therefore, this goal is still up in the air. My plan is to have this recovered in value in our new home by the end of the year.
Goal: Cash-flow all house improvements and stay debt-free except our mortgage
We have stayed debt-free this year, but at the end of June we signed for the mortgage on our new house. Cash-flowing all house improvements is on track so far (we have enough saved up to do all the initial yard work and start finishing the basement). The end of the year will bring more progress on this one because we won’t really get into finishing the basement until September or later.
Goal: Continue our travel credit card hacking strategy
This goal has been completely on hold so far this year.
We have been continuing to earn points on the cards we had open before we started building our new house, but we haven’t been able to open any new cards for the bonuses. It’s like being in credit purgatory. For 10 months while we waited to close on our house. After closing, I’m resuming our strategy to use credit card bonus points to earn free travel.
Later this year, I plan on doing a blog series on how to hack yourself to a free race vacation!
Social
Goal: 1 Date Night per Week
In the winter, we were really good about dedicating one specific night per week as “date night.” Usually, we would go out to eat or we would grill and have a game night in.
As spring and summer broke, we started grilling or smoking food every other day. Now, we have so much fun making our own food that is both healthy and delicious that we don’t have as much of a desire to eat at restaurants. Plus—we can enjoy a glass of wine at home and not have to drive anywhere.
After we finish the yard and get settled in our new home, we’ll pick back up on a dedicated “date night”.
Personal Development
Goal: Read 2 personal development books per month
Holy crap I’ve been CRUSHING this one!
In 6 months I’ve already completed 15 books. That’s 2.5 books per month!
Towards the end of last year I got a library card, and this year I’ve been enjoying many books as a form of cheap entertainment. One of my favorite things to do is to kick back on the patio with a book on the weekend, and I’ve also been more consistent about reading for 10-30 minutes every night before I go to sleep.
Additionally, I have an Audible membership and listen to audio books on my long runs. This not only keeps my mind busy and gives me something special to keep my motivation up on long runs, but it also helps me use those large blocks of time every week to get closer to my personal development goal.
If you want to try Audible and get 2 free audio books for 30 days, you can grab this FREE TRIAL. (This free trial is seriously awesome if you want to give audio books a shot during your running. It’s risk-free for 30 days!)
Here are the books I’ve already read/listened to in 2019:
- Grit- Angela Duckworth
- Everyday Millionaires-Chris Hogan
- Running the Edge
- 80/20 Running-Matt Fitzgerald
- Deep Work-Cal Newport
- Running is My Therapy-Scott Douglas
- The Runners Brain-Dr Jeff Brown
- So Good They Cant Ignore You-Cal Newport
- Financial Freedom-Grant Sabatier
- When-Daniel Pink
- Secrets of the Millionaire Mind- Harv Eker
- Roar-Stacy Sims
- Drive-Daniel Pink
- 26 Marathons: Meb Keflezighi
- Diet Cults-Matt Fitzgerald
As you can see, most of the books I consume are non-fiction and related to personal finance, running, nutrition, or different aspects on how to live an awesome life. If you want to check out any of these titles for your own entertainment, just click the links above.
Have you done a goal accountability check-up this year?
Run Happy,
Alexis
- Nailing Your Marathon Hydration Strategy: A Comprehensive Guide
- Conquering Marathons in the Cold: A Comprehensive Guide
- Harnessing the Power of Technology for Successful Marathon Training
- Mastering the Marathon: The Ultimate Guide to Nutrition and Training
- Ultimate Guide to the Top 5 Running Shoes for Beginners in 2023
About Me: I’m Alexis, Founder of RunningMyBestLife! I am an avid recreational runner, half marathoner, wife, dog mom, busy professional, downhill skier in Northern Utah. My mission is to help new enthusiasts fall in love with the sport of running. I believe that running is a catalyst to taking control of your life and living your best life by design. Learn More –>