Count
Ever notice that in the middle of accountability is the word “count?”
As we learned early in our lives, to count means to keep track of, as in, “How many Twinkies did I eat today?”
Personally, I think this is one of the most feared words in our language. People hate to count and be held accountable. In fact, many of us work very hard to avoid it. People don’t like counting because it’s hard to argue with the results. Yet counting, and accountability, are two of the most important words in our journey toward success. Without accountability, where would we be? If we don’t count, how are we supposed to know if we are on track or way off?
People avoid counting and accountability because numbers tend to be pretty non-disputable – then again politicians have mastered the art of disputing numbers and facts, so let’s exclude them for the moment.
Okay, so let’s go back to counting, what can we count?
- Calories (ouch)
- Money - What did you earn, spend, save?
- Time - How do you spend your time?
- Push-ups - How many minutes did you exercise today? That really counts!
- How many words did you write today? How many customers did you help?
- How many prospects did I speak with?
- How many calls did you make? How much time did you practice?
You can go on and on and on counting.
Remember to count the good stuff too:
- How many hugs did you give today?
- I ate only 1/2 of my piece of cake
- I walked 10 minutes
- I called one person which is one more than yesterday
Think about it, counting can make life more enjoyable (except for the calorie thing). Imagine going to a sports event if they didn’t count the score or a football game if they didn’t count penalties (ouch that could hurt).
Counting keeps us on track, lets us know where and what we need to improve. Counting is not judgmental, it’s just the facts. Counting can help you change and improve!
We need it in every aspect of our lives, it helps us be better. It also stops us from lying to ourselves. Remember what Socrates said “the unexamined life is not worth living”.
When you add more accountability to your life, everything gets better.
Make it a habit to keep count, because when you do, everything in your life will improve. Why? Because everything counts!
` Dennis