My writing chair has been empty but thanks to my accountability partner, I have a writing schedule once again. 

My last accountability meeting did not go well.

It was all my fault as I was not accountable. At the prior meeting I said what I was going to do and then I didn’t.

I seriously contemplated calling my accountability partner and asking for a pass on the meeting. But that defeats the purpose of the meetings.

We met, and my partner wasn’t mean about my lack of progress. Just the opposite – she was encouraging. We discussed why I had not met my goals. It wasn’t about making excuses, but rather about finding a way to get me back on track.

I explained that I had had a productive few weeks in other areas. I organized a statewide conference, coordinated a national board meeting and hosted friends. Of course, sometimes we deliberately get busy to avoid what we need to do. Fortunately, that was not the case. These were long-term commitments and I was more than willing to honor them. I did, however, miscalculate how much time I would have for other endeavors.

As part of my conversation with my accountability partner, I scheduled my future writing days. Setting aside specific days and times works best for me. If I simply say that I am going to write three times before our next meeting it seldom happens. When I block the time, it always happens, in part, because I have a set time and so I will say no to any requests made of me made during that time.

In actuality, my meeting did go well. My partner and I discussed what didn’t work and how to address those areas moving forward. I’m looking forward to sharing my progress at our next meeting.