🧠 Weekly Mind Sweep #139 | Curated Conversation| Accountability
September 2024
*Week 139: Curated Conversation: Accountability
Week 140: Mind Your Business: Accountability
Week 141: Manage Your Mind; Accountability
Week 142: What’s On My Mind; Accountability
New to the Weekly MindSweep? Past issues live here.
Let’s sweep the brain…
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In the MindSweep this week:
Our new topic of Accountability with curated GIF’s & puns (for your entertainment).
The Brain Trust Registration closes TODAY!
What’s I’m Reading - new for September!
Collaborations with Terri Hamilton (Thursday) & Shannon Giordano (this Friday!)
My face 💜 and a link to schedule your free consultation.
I've been on a personal journey changing my eating habits.
Emotionally, it's hitting differently this time. This change isn't just about the numbers on a scale anymore; it's about taking personal responsibility to truly educate myself on what my body needs.
I'm taking personal responsibility to educate myself.
My first step was owning my beliefs.
I had clung to ideals based on wanting to "lose" weight. It was a learned behavior from the external forces of society and how I was raised. There is no one person to "blame" for where I found myself; it was my responsibility to own my past choices and the beliefs that shaped them.
When I met with my doctor to rule out any possible health issues, the results were offered to me as a rather large, unavoidable mirror. Our medical system offered me a quick fix—medication to suppress my appetite. But I wanted to understand more about the "why" behind my habits.
So, I asked to dig deeper, and with the help of a nutritionist, I began to uncover manageable solutions rooted in understanding, not shortcuts.
And so began my journey.
The most impactful tool was a daily log of input (what I eat) and output (exercise and activity).
Each day, I face my decisions and choices and witness the outcomes.
This simple act of logging has provided a powerful mirror of accountability—showing me that my actions have direct consequences and that those choices are mine and mine alone. The audacity of this tool holding the mirror of accountability up to my face every day.
It was me all along. I was the problem.
But also the solution.
This month, we are digging into the topic of accountability, specifically personal accountability and responsibility. We'll explore how this shows up in entrepreneurship and how our brains are wired. I'll wrap things up with what's on my mind at the end of the month.
As always, buckle up, keep your hands inside the ride at all times, and only stand once we've come to a complete stop.
Let's begin with both definitions of accountability and responsibility.
Accountability is the fact or condition of being accountable; in simpler terms, it's about being answerable for the results of your actions.
Responsibility is the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or having control over someone.
Put simply, responsibility is about the duty to do something, while accountability is about being answerable for the results of those duties.
When you're personally accountable, you:
Take ownership of what you're involved in. Your actions and the outcomes.
See things through and take responsibility no matter the outcome.
Do your best to make things right even when it's difficult.
Our brains are wired for safety and comfort.
It'll do whatever it can to justify our actions so we can feel better about our decisions. We convince ourselves that not doing what we say we will do has no real consequences. [1]
We avoid and deny.
But this lack of personal accountability erodes self-trust and stalls our growth. [2]
So, how do we improve personal accountability?
Self-reflection - Reflect on your life, actions, behaviors, and decisions personally and professionally. Are your actions aligned with your goals and values? [3]
Ask for feedback - others can often see our blindspots. Ask for honest feedback on how you can improve. Pay attention to how people respond to your behavior. Are there recurring conflicts or issues where you're not taking responsibility?
Practice Mindfulness - stay aware of your thoughts, emotions, and actions in the moment. When you are more present, you can catch yourself when you're avoiding responsibility or shifting blame.
Set clear goals and priorities - Define what you want to achieve so you know what you need to take responsibility for. Break your goals into small, actionable steps and prioritize them. Be proactive and intentional, and take responsibility for how you approach your tasks.
Have a system of accountability - utilize deadlines, tracking processes, and support systems. Stay committed to taking responsibility for your actions.
Developing a deeper awareness of what is on your side of the fence will lead to more intentional and fulfilling choices.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
― Maya Angelou
My question for you this week :
Where does taking personal accountability impact your growth as an entrepreneur? How does taking ownership of your actions influence your personal and professional success? [4]
Reply and share with me!
The answers you need for your business are already within you. If you’d like support in identifying them and building a business you are proud of, I’m here to help.
Are you a like-hearted entrepreneur ready for support? Let's connect.
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Jamie’s Second Brain Corner
[1] Did you miss our month on Decision?
[2] Did you miss our month on Trust?
MONDAY: 8 am - Curated Conversation - Zoom
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What I’m reading
Bring Judgment Day
Known worldwide as Lead Belly, Huddie Ledbetter (1889–1949) is an American icon whose influence on modern music was tremendous – as was, according to legend, the temper that landed him in two of the South's most brutal prisons, while his immense talent twice won him pardons.
But, as this deeply researched book shows, these stories were shaped by the white folklorists who 'discovered' Lead Belly and, along with reporters, recording executives, and radio and film producers, introduced him to audiences beyond the South.
Through a revelatory examination of arrest, trial, and prison records; sharecropping reports; oral histories; newspaper articles; and more, author Sheila Curran Bernard replaces myth with fact, offering a stunning indictment of systemic racism in the Jim Crow era of the United States and the power of narrative to erase and distort the past.
________
Sheila Curran Bernard is the sister of a dear friend and mentor, Martha Bernard Welsh.
Learn More & buy where you love to gather your books!
Collaborations!
Join us THIS Friday, September 6th, at the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce for this two-hour interactive business community experience.
We'll discuss ways to cultivate business through Sales, Marketing, and Communication methods that support relationship building, showing up authentically, and connecting deeper with colleagues and the people you serve.
9-11 am - Open discussion, community support, brainstorming ideas
Join me in meeting business owners in our community. You'll leave with new tools to help you make connections and build your business!
Free; Registration is required: https://bit.ly/MWCoCSept2024
Mindful Connections
Connecting like-hearted entrepreneurs to build relationships, offering support, understanding their passions, and sharing their names in rooms of opportunity.
Every Thursday, 12-1 pm EST.
12:00 - Take 5—a guided meditation with Terri Hamilton of Apparent Connection to ground your week with peace and focus.
12:05-1 pm Round-table Share
Who you are
The gifts you bring to the world
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