Welcome to a deep dive into the powerful concepts shared during the Accountability Call on March 26, 2021. This session, led by a seasoned coach and mentor, unpacks how intentionality, accountability, and authentic coaching can transform your personal and professional life. Whether you’re stepping into coaching or simply want to elevate your approach to goals and commitments, this article will guide you through mindset shifts, practical strategies, and transformational insights shared during the call.
Table of Contents
- 🌟 Setting the Tone: Completing Your Week with Intentionality
- 📝 Intentions vs. Goals: Clarifying Your Weekly Focus
- 🔍 Midweek Check-In: Reflecting on Progress and Self-Talk
- 🤝 The Buddy System: Accountability and Breaking Resistance
- 🔑 Coaching Philosophy: Providing Access, Not Answers
- ⏳ The Power of Why, When, and What: Creating Urgency and Clarity
- 🚦 Drawing Boundaries in Coaching: When to Pull the Deal Away
- 💡 Overcoming Stuckness: Sharing Your Own Journey
- 🏡 Navigating Difficult Coaching Scenarios: Staying Motivated Through Setbacks
- 👥 Judging by Appearances: Embracing Authenticity in Coaching Relationships
- 🤗 Embracing Imperfection: The Secret to Relatability
- 🔄 Charting New Courses: Encouraging Clients to Blaze Their Own Trails
- 📅 Homework and Next Steps: Intentional Living in Action
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 🚀 Take Action: Live Intentionally and Coach Authentically
🌟 Setting the Tone: Completing Your Week with Intentionality
How do you finish your week? Do you simply exit it or do you complete it with purpose? The accountability call begins with a vital reminder: it’s not about how you exit the week, but how you complete it. This completion involves reviewing your intentions, assessing what you’ve accomplished, and importantly, closing the loop on unfinished business.
This is where the power of intentionality comes into play. If you notice tasks or commitments showing up repeatedly on your to-do list week after week, it’s not because you forgot them, but because something deeper is holding you back. It’s a resistance — the polar opposite of intention.
“If intention had a polar opposite twin, it would be resistance.” –
Resistance manifests as excuses, distractions, or avoidance — like complaining about the gym being too far or not open 24 hours. The truth is, without intention, you default into resistance, crisis mode, or frustration. Intentional living requires you to face what you resist, take ownership, and complete your commitments.
📝 Intentions vs. Goals: Clarifying Your Weekly Focus
One of the most common pitfalls in productivity is confusing intentions with goals. The coach emphasizes that intentions are the overarching purpose you want to fulfill, while goals are the smaller steps or milestones that help you measure progress toward that intention.
For example, if you intend to build a church (metaphorically speaking), your goal might be to grow the congregation ten people at a time. The intention is your guiding light, the “why,” while goals are the actionable checkpoints.
Writing down goals multiple times a day is good, but it’s not enough without psychological and metaphysical alignment to the intention behind them. Reckless goal-setting without this connection often results in frustration and lack of follow-through.
🔍 Midweek Check-In: Reflecting on Progress and Self-Talk
Midweek is the perfect opportunity to check in on your intentions and goals. Instead of simply marking tasks as done or undone, it’s about honest reflection: Where did you come up short? Are you playing small or just temporarily falling short?
Playing small means repeatedly falling short of your goals and adopting a limiting narrative about yourself. Coming short is a temporary state, a chance to reset and refocus.
“So if you’re measuring against a result that you should have done… I came short. But if every single week I notice that I am falling short of the goal I set out, then the game I’m playing is playing small.” –
Your self-talk shapes your experience. Watch the story you tell yourself about your progress because it influences your motivation and future actions. A coach or accountability partner can help you snap out of limiting beliefs and reset your mindset.
🤝 The Buddy System: Accountability and Breaking Resistance
A key component of the coaching program is the buddy system — pairing participants to support each other in staying accountable. The coach challenges those who haven’t connected with their buddy to examine what they’re resisting and why.
Resisting connection means missing out on mutual contribution and growth. Every coaching interaction is an opportunity to shift and evolve. The buddy system is a microcosm of how you show up in the world — as an influencer, contributor, and accountable partner.
It’s natural to want to choose your accountability partner based on preferences, but coaching demands flexibility and openness. The coach shares a personal story about initially disliking his first mentor because the mentor didn’t fit his ideal image, which caused him to miss out on a powerful relationship.
“You’ve gotta give up your idea of what a coachee would look like… The buddy system is a great way for you to collapse that.” –
Embrace the buddy system as an opportunity to challenge your judgments, build commitment, and practice ownership — even if it’s uncomfortable.
🔑 Coaching Philosophy: Providing Access, Not Answers
One of the profound insights shared is the distinction between giving answers and providing access to answers. The coach explains that as a coach, your role is not to tell people what to do or give advice based on your life experience, but to create an environment where they can discover their own answers.
Advice is inherently biased by personal history, values, and opinions, which may not serve the coachee’s unique context. Instead, coaching is about facilitating access to the coachee’s own wisdom and empowering them to make decisions.
“We don’t provide answers. We provide access to the answers. We don’t give advice because there’s no such thing as advice.”
This approach fosters autonomy, growth, and lasting transformation, as clients own their journey rather than follow someone else’s script.
⏳ The Power of Why, When, and What: Creating Urgency and Clarity
The coach shares a powerful framework for goal-setting that goes beyond just defining what you want. You must also clarify why you want it and by when you want it. These elements create purpose and urgency, which are critical for action.
Using his experience selling gym memberships, the coach illustrates how a timeline creates velocity. For example, someone wanting to lose 10 pounds in two weeks has a compelling reason and urgency, while someone who wants to lose the same amount over years lacks that drive.
Moreover, sometimes the “why” is deeply personal and life-changing, such as preparing for a life-saving operation. That kind of why generates unstoppable motivation.
“What do you want? Why do you want it? When do you want it by? If those answers don’t move you into action, then what it is that you want is bullshit.”
Without a deadline or stakes, suffering and procrastination extend indefinitely. Setting specific timelines and stakes is essential for breakthroughs in any domain, whether business, health, or relationships.
🚦 Drawing Boundaries in Coaching: When to Pull the Deal Away
Matt raises a common coaching dilemma: What do you do when clients don’t take action despite having the right environment and support?
The coach advises that it’s crucial to ask clients why they want their goal and reconnect them to their ethos — their purpose or aspiration. If clients are not willing to honor their commitments or show up, sometimes the coach must pull the deal away and set firm boundaries.
This is a tough but necessary stance to maintain integrity and avoid enabling stagnation. Coaching calls with clear homework and check-ins help clients hold themselves accountable and understand what’s at stake.
💡 Overcoming Stuckness: Sharing Your Own Journey
When clients get stuck, the coach encourages sharing your own stories of getting unstuck, recommitting, and moving back into action. Authenticity and relatability are powerful tools to inspire and connect.
Coaching often fails because coaches themselves are stuck or not living breakthrough lives. Showing vulnerability and examples of real struggle and growth creates credibility and hope for clients.
🏡 Navigating Difficult Coaching Scenarios: Staying Motivated Through Setbacks
Kyle asks a great question about coaching clients facing repeated setbacks, like losing bidding wars on investment properties. The coach advises reframing the experience to highlight that setbacks are predictable and part of the journey.
He shares his cold-calling experience, where learning to love “no” was key to eventual success. The same applies in real estate and many other fields — persistence and mindset shifts are critical.
By acknowledging setbacks as confirmation that you’re in the right game, clients can maintain motivation rather than fall off the rails.
👥 Judging by Appearances: Embracing Authenticity in Coaching Relationships
The coach candidly discusses his own initial resistance to his first mentor, who didn’t fit his ideal image. He stresses that authenticity and relatability matter more than appearances or credentials.
People seek coaches who embody qualities they desire, whether that’s charisma, expertise, or results. What you “flex” as a coach attracts your ideal clients, so be mindful of what you project.
The coach also highlights that money and financial success are often top concerns for clients, shaping the coaching focus.
🤗 Embracing Imperfection: The Secret to Relatability
Suzanne appreciates the coach’s personal examples, noting how sharing real-life struggles makes coaching human and relatable. The coach agrees — relatability is the secret sauce of effective coaching, leadership, and speaking.
No one wants a perfect guru. Instead, clients want to see someone who’s done the work, faced challenges, and can guide them authentically. This human connection fosters trust and engagement.
🔄 Charting New Courses: Encouraging Clients to Blaze Their Own Trails
The coach and Suzanne discuss how clients often take the safest, most predictable paths, even if they’re not the best. Coaching is about helping them blaze new trails and find unique solutions — but they have to do it themselves.
Coaches guide but don’t dictate. It’s about empowering clients to decide their own outcomes and honoring their individual journeys.
📅 Homework and Next Steps: Intentional Living in Action
To close the call, the coach assigns three key homework tasks to deepen intentional living and prepare for business planning:
- Get clear on outstanding tasks: Reset your boards and honestly assess where you are and aren’t in your commitments.
- Ask for help: Reach out if you need support or resources to move forward.
- Find an inspiring story: Identify a story — from your life, a movie, or a show — that inspires you and embodies triumph. Be ready to share it on the next call to inspire others.
This homework reinforces ownership, accountability, and the power of storytelling to motivate and connect.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between intentions and goals?
Intentions are your overarching purpose or why behind your actions, while goals are the specific measurable steps you take to fulfill that intention. Intentions guide your direction; goals track your progress.
How can I overcome resistance to completing tasks?
Resistance often stems from fear or discomfort related to the task’s outcome. Recognize what you are avoiding, reframe your mindset, and break the task into manageable steps. Accountability partners can help hold you to your commitments.
Why is it important to set deadlines for goals?
Deadlines create urgency and velocity, motivating you to act. Without a timeline, goals can become vague wishes that lack momentum. A clear “by when” helps you prioritize and focus your efforts.
How do I handle clients who don’t take action?
Reconnect them to their purpose (ethos) and ask why the goal matters. Sometimes, setting boundaries or “pulling the deal away” is necessary to maintain integrity. Sharing your own experiences of overcoming stuckness can also inspire.
What role does authenticity play in coaching?
Authenticity fosters trust and relatability. Coaches who share their real experiences and vulnerabilities connect better with clients, making the coaching process more effective and meaningful.
How does the buddy system enhance accountability?
The buddy system pairs you with a partner who supports and challenges you, helping you stay committed. It’s a practical way to practice ownership, give and receive feedback, and break through resistance.
🚀 Take Action: Live Intentionally and Coach Authentically
This accountability call offers a blueprint for intentional living and coaching that transforms lives. Commit to completing your week with purpose, distinguish between intentions and goals, embrace accountability, and cultivate authentic coaching relationships.
As you move forward, remember: You don’t provide answers — you provide access to answers. Help yourself and others discover the power within to create extraordinary outcomes.
Start today by connecting with your accountability buddy, reflecting honestly on your progress, and finding a story that inspires your triumph. Your journey to mastery begins with intentional action.
