Harnessing Habits: Personal Accountability, Volume VI
Personal accountability holds immense power, especially when paired with consistency and repetition. The magic of doing something daily cannot be understated. As a creative person with numerous ideas, it often feels like a double-edged sword. The challenge lies not in generating ideas but in executing them. In my experience, only one in a thousand ideas gets acted upon because I am frequently overwhelmed by the sheer number of options.
This phenomenon reminds me of the tendency to believe that more is always better or to be mesmerized by shiny new things. However, true progress lies in focusing on the basics — the bread and butter, the meat and potatoes. Developing a routine is crucial. As Coach Wooden famously said, “Make each day your masterpiece.” A masterful day varies depending on what you aim to achieve, but it always involves measurable progress towards your goals.
Taking action is the first step on any path, but working hard isn’t enough. Even if you’re consistent, you must ensure you’re consistently doing the right things. These are critical questions we all must ask ourselves. For much of my life, I’ve struggled with starting things but not finishing them. This pattern is evident in my academic journey, having attended four colleges for various reasons. Despite justifications, the fact remains: there’s a track record of flakiness.
At least I have the humility to reflect on this and hold myself accountable. As my goals have become clearer, I’ve realized that my daily actions must align with creating the life I want. I’ve come to believe that a man truly comes into his own in his late 20s and early 30s. By your early 30s, there’s no excuse not to be on your path. This requires having procedures in place to do what needs to be done.
As a former athlete, I thrived on structure — running routes, lifting weights, and doing speed training. My days were built around being the best athlete I could be. But in a profession where the path isn’t clearly defined, especially as a polymath with interests spanning health and human performance, sports, literature, data science, and organizational management, the lines become blurred.
While possessing many skills is a gift, it’s also a curse. It means there are numerous ways I can improve and serve, but without a clear focus, I end up spreading myself too thin and mastering nothing. Despite this, I value versatility and believe that being a generalist offers significant opportunities in the modern economy. However, it all comes down to having a plan.
In recent weeks, I’ve released four excerpts from my upcoming book, all based on daily journaling. These raw notes undergo an ongoing iteration process, filling in the blanks within a pre-made template. While I’m not yet in full operation mode with my company — partly because I’m in transition and trying to save money for future investments — I’ve realized the importance of prioritizing writing and exercise. There isn’t much room for anything else if I’m to make the leap toward expanding my team and scaling our operations.
Each day, I ask myself: What am I doing to make consistent progress? It’s not about making every day look the same, but about developing core habits that make me the best version of myself. No matter what, I need to guarantee that certain tasks get done under any circumstance. Writing is one such task.
Personal accountability demands more of oneself — not perfection, but consistency. Over a lifetime, this approach conditions you to understand your behaviors and motives, fostering sustainable happiness and peace of mind. It all starts with you. Be accountable to yourself, establish what you need to do, find those little things that will make you better, and consistently work on them.
