I’m learning a little about accountability. Some people call it “self-discipline,” but to me that’s a very harsh term. The word “discipline” sends shivers down my spine and makes me all at once feel ashamed as though I need to correct some sort of wrong behaviour.

This is why I call it accountability. I need to learn to be more accountable for my goals, and to do so I’ve started sharing them with friends.

A good example of this is tae kwon do. I got back into it last February, at Peak Performance Tae Kwon Do in Coquitlam, and after a great first few months I suddenly turned sporadic in my attendance. I haven’t tested since last August, and have been a yellow belt for nearly half a year. (I’m a *really* good yellow belt.)

So now I’ve added accountability. You see, when no one know’s I’m skipping class it’s easy to skip. Sit on the couch, turn on the TV, curl up with the dog and ignore that voice inside my head that’s begging me to go to the dojang.

But by telling my friends, and now all of you, I’m making myself accountable. People will ask me how tae kwon do is going, if I;m still enjoying the classes, and what I’m learning. The last thing I want is to answer with a, “Well, it was a matter of mind over couch and the couch won.” I want to be able to say that I have my orange-stripe test next week, and I’m planning on taking it.

The same goes with writing. It’s important as a writer to always be working on a project - but what’s more important is to actually finish a project and send it to a publisher. Otherwise, just as I was doing with my TKD belts, you’re just standing still.

I’ve had a graphic novel of ancient Sparta that I’ve had “almost finished” for over a year. My goal in my writing, just as I have a goal in my martial arts, is to get that next level: to finish the script.

Stay tuned. Keep me accountable!