Accountability

When I first started thinking about running a marathon I was going on some shorter runs with my neighbor, Brian.  (I will probably have lots of stories with him in them.)  He was a lot faster than me but graciously ran at my pace for every single run.  I told him I had thought about running a marathon and he encouraged me to sign up for one.  He told me once I signed up then I would have to do it.  Well, I listened to him and signed up.   About 5 months later I finished my first marathon. 

Although I did a lot of training on my own  he ran parts of my long runs with me.  But the bottom line is that I had told him I was running a marathon.  I was accountable to him.  I knew if I didn't finish it he would ask me why.  I eventually told other people of my plans to run a marathon.   I learned along the way that I accomplish more and follow through with my plans if I tell people and ask for accountability.   This is part of the reason I have started this blog so that I can tell a few more people about my hope to write a children's book but also to be accountable to actually writing something.  These posts will not always (and probably rarely) be about children's books, but they will encourage me to write something every day.  With more practice I will become a better writer (well, hopefully anyways.)