Accountability & Consistency

I titled my blog Monday Morning with Mona to hold myself accountable. If I say I am going “publish” the blog post on Monday mornings, I needed a way to make myself do it week after week – even on week’s that I didn’t have much to say.

I usually write early in the week, and I like to edit later in the week. Then, I enjoy going through pictures on the weekend, and by Monday morning, I have something to put out there. This last week was just like that. I wrote about Restlessness & Rejection early last week. I did some edits on Thursday, but then the world seemed to change directions very quickly over the weekend. I did not feel comfortable working on the last blog post over the weekend – in light of all of the discourse happening in the US today. That being stated, I was not ready to write about racial injustice yet either. I have read many books, listened to podcasts, watched movies, and spent a lot of time dissecting Civil Rights, but I am not in any way an expert nor am I equipped to take on a subject like that here and now.

Monday morning comes. I need to pull myself together for an important military ceremony. I need to meditate and get myself mentally ready to be around a lot of people. I need to walk my dog, and I need to think about this blog. Needless to say, I am not sharing the Restlessness & Rejection post this week. The timing isn’t right. I don’t want to write about military ceremonies and their importance because I feel as if that topic needs me to do research and give it the attention that it deserves, so instead I am going to write about something that I know well- CONSISTENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY.

When I tell myself that I am going to do something, the mental strength and confidence that comes from doing it – even if not done well – is more valuable than you know. Every time you tell yourself that you are going to do something, and you do it, you PROVE that you are being honest and true to yourself. Every time you say you are going to do something, and you don’t do it, you let yourself down. In a lot of cases, the excuses are valid and solid, and your brain gives you a pass, but when you do it time and time again, your brain begins to doubt whether you will follow through with anything at all. Each time you say you will do something, your brain gives you a 50/50 chance, and 50/50 is not enough confidence to do the hard things. Whether you tell yourself that you will get a blog posted on Monday mornings, or you will get up and walk a mile, or you will get up and make 5 business development calls, your brain is figuring out, “will she really do it or not? There’s a 50/50 chance that she will do it.” However, when you publish a poorly written, unedited blog when you say you will, or when you walk the slowest mile ever, or when you make those 5 calls and get 5 rejections, your brain starts to say “there’s a 90% chance she will get it done.” In time, that goes up and up, and in time you do more challenging and more challenging things because your confidence level went from 50% to 80% to 90%.

The accountability measures that you will place on yourself will be very different than mine. I literally titled my blog based on accountability. I encourage you to figure out what it will take to start getting more of the things done that you say you will – even if they are imperfect, unedited, slow, and poor finished products because the little wins count more than the perfect blog.

Pictures from my ceremony today as proof on why I didn’t get a better finished product out for you this Monday morning. Next week’s will be better.