Most Sunday mornings at 7:00 a.m., you’ll find me with my friend Warren sprinting the Exorcist Steps, then doing 10 pull ups followed by Kettlebell Swings 10 times.
The best part by far is the banter, the fist pumps and the camaraderie for sure, because if you’ve ever climbed the steps, you know they’re no joke and definitely not always pleasurable.
The thing that might surprise you is that despite being a huge fitness enthusiast…even I sometimes lack the motivation to tackle them.
Yes, most Sunday mornings, I’d much rather linger over coffee, get “administrative Cotton work” done before any Cottons awaken, or take a leisurely walk around our neighborhood.
But then I remember that Warren is already on his way…So I get up, lace up my shoes, and get out the door.
People are often surprised when I tell them this. “But you’re a wellness coach,” they’ll say. “Surely you never struggle with motivation.“
The truth is, I’ve been coaching men and women for more than 20 years, and I’m just as human as everyone else. So, I’m sharing one of my oldest tricks in my toolbox: get an accountability partner.
You see, I don’t rely purely on my own motivation. I rely on someone else’s.
Accountability As My System
One of the biggest myths in wellness is that successful people are simply more motivated. They have more grit and discipline. No, no, no. This is not true. They just have better habits, that’s all.
Hitting wellness goals means you’ve just created systems and habits in your life that make it easier to stay consistent.
Accountability is one of the best systems I know.
When someone is expecting you to show up, you stop negotiating with yourself. You won’t want to disappoint them. You probably will find it harder to cancel on someone, especially when YOU are also THEIR accountability partner.
And at the end of the day, you don’t spend time thinking and/or re-thinking…You simply go!
Why It Works So Well
One of the biggest reasons accountability works is because it removes decision fatigue.
Instead of asking yourself every morning whether you’re going to exercise, the decision has already been made.
The less negotiating you do with yourself, the more consistent you become.
This is exactly why we build accountability into the Adrien Cotton Wellness community.
Members are paired with accountability partners to celebrate victories, check in during difficult weeks, and simply remind one another to keep going.
Sometimes it’s sharing a training session.
Sometimes it’s texting a photo of breakfast.
Sometimes it’s celebrating that you finally hit your protein goal for the week.
Sometimes it’s just hearing, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” “You are awesome.”
Those little moments create big change over time.
Find Your Own Warren!
Life gets busy and work deadlines pile up. Your family needs your attention. Then travel interrupts routines, and there’s ALWAYS another email to answer.
Sometimes it feels like everyone and every thing needs a piece of you, causing you to forfeit your time for wellness.
Sound familiar? During these seasons, your own commitment will start to wane. That’s why I encourage you to borrow someone else’s. Knowing someone is waiting for you can be the gentle push you need on the days when your own motivation isn’t enough.
Your accountability partner doesn’t have to be a trainer, a specialist, or a professional anything. They don’t even have to train exactly like you – They simply need to care about feeling stronger.
Maybe it’s a partner, a sibling, a neighbor, or a co-worker.
The important thing isn’t who they are, it’s that you’re both committed to showing up for each other, and for yourselves.
One Small Challenge for You:
So what to do now? This week, don’t focus on creating the perfect exercise plan and instead, find one person. Schedule one thing on the calendar that is wellness related, and keep each other committed and accountable.
Trust me, I’ve climbed enough stairs with Warren to know: Sometimes the fastest way to reach your wellness peak is to stop trying to do it alone.
