That was several months ago. I think I stayed on the higher reward path because I couldn’t bear the idea of letting my friends down. Just asking 5 friends to hold me accountable made the difference; it feels like magic, and that’s how I feel about accountability.

Here’s how to transform intention into reality:

1. Think about a beneficial action that has a 70-80% probability of happening and a near 100% probability of adding value to you and those around you. Find that sweet spot between challenge and achievability—for example, if you’re new to exercise, walking for ten minutes daily is more realistic than promising yourself a two-hour run.
   
2. Formulate a clear statement about the action. (My example: Start postponing the news until 11am.)
   
3. Acknowledge what's holding you back (the fleeting satisfaction from habitual behavior), then identify the greater reward that awaits when you follow through.
   
4. Find a friend or group of friends and tell them what you intend to do. Ask them to provide supportive accountability by asking you about your intended action, every 1-3 months.

You might be thinking: “What if I commit and then fail?” (Perhaps I, too, will occasionally revert to starting the day by scrolling headlines.) Remember that setbacks are natural - they happen to all of us. But even if you revert to eating a bag of potato chips one night, you can still celebrate that you had x days of not eating chips (those chip-free days would not have happened without your commitment and accountability system).

Take advantage of the magical property of accountability. Once you declare something to others who hold you accountable, it is much more likely to happen.

I invite you to share your intention with me directly. What meaningful action are you committing to that has both a high probability of success and significant positive impact?

Sometimes, taking that first step of putting your intention into words can be the most powerful catalyst of all.