Radical Accountability: Taking Back Your Power
What is Radical Accountability
Radical accountability is a term we are hearing more and more in the world today, but what is it really? When we look at accountability and the difference between it and radical accountability, it is pretty straightforward. Accountability is taking responsibility for your actions, decisions, and the outcomes of your life. Radical accountability is something even more. Think of it as extreme ownership.
It is a call to take back your power and stop blaming the world, others, and situations for where you are in life. It is a call to take full responsibility for the life you have led and the choices you have made. This includes things like staying at a job or in a relationship too long, giving into peer pressure, or even being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is accepting the part we play in our own suffering and allowing ourselves to accept the choices we have made so we can stand rooted in the present. It allows us to step into our personal freedom, grow, and break the cycles that keep us stuck and small.
Why Do People Avoid Radical Accountability
Radical accountability is not for the faint of heart. It takes diligence, discipline, and a heavy spoonful of humility. Most people find it easier to be the victim of their lives instead of the owner of it. We give our power away to feel validated in the moment for where we are in life.
But radical accountability requires us to break out of common defense mechanisms such as blame, deflection, and above all, excuses. There are usually two core roots in our past that keep us tethered to the version of us that wants to avoid accountability.
The first is shame. Shame is not a bad emotion, but if not managed, it can manifest in toxic ways that impact self-esteem, success, anxiety, the ability to enjoy life, and our relationships.
The second is control. People crave a sense of control, and often it feels easier to blame others or get angry than to accept that our lives have become unmanageable or are not where we want them to be.
Control and shame are two silent forces that keep us walking through life disempowered and self-sabotaging, always choosing to react to our wounds instead of responding from a place of authenticity.
The Core Principles of Accountability (O.R.T.A)
Ownership: We must accept that we are the common denominator in our life. It is our choices, relationships, and actions that have led us to where we are today.
Responsibility: A term Justin told me once that I love is that responsibility is our ability to respond. It is up to us to utilize the pause between stimulus and action, to learn how to respond instead of react.
Transparency: Transparency can be one of the hardest to embody. It means being not just fully honest with others, but with ourselves. We go through life creating stories and systems to keep us safe and in connection. We create blind spots to our weaknesses and hide our true self from the world. It takes consistent, dedicated action to break these barriers.
Action: Last and certainly not least is action. It is the call to be more than we have been. It means taking the small steps that create lifelong change, learning to adjust to new levels, and not just acknowledging them.
How Radical Accountability Changes Your Life
There are many powerful benefits to radical accountability, and they can be life changing.
Relationships: When we choose to show up authentically, to own our lives and choices, and to stop putting on a show, we begin cultivating a deep sense of trust. Others know we will own our mistakes and not hide behind a façade.
Momentum: When we take back our power and take stock of our lives, we call back our energy to use in productive ways. We no longer wait for others to change but instead take ownership of our lives and do what we need to do to become the best versions of ourselves.
Self-respect and resilience: When we do hard and uncomfortable things, our willpower expands. Our inner power does not operate only on a cognitive level; it is a deep relationship that knows you and is waiting for you to show up and earn its trust.
How to Start Cultivating Radical Accountability
Daily check-ins: Evaluate different parts of your day. What was hard, stressful, or did not go your way? Ask yourself, “What part did I play in this?” Was it not speaking up? Getting defensive? Fear of rejection or shame?
Eliminate excuses and over-explaining: Learn to say no, or yes when needed. Be honest about your feelings, needs, and intentions instead of expecting people to read your mind.
Replace blame with curiosity: Learn to have hard conversations. If you or the person you’re speaking with gets defensive, pause, ground yourself, and seek clarity. Talk about what’s really happening without blaming, and work toward real solutions where both people feel heard.
Take action when you slip up: This isn’t something you learn once and then suddenly become a different person. It takes time and dedication to build the mental muscle to respond differently. Be patient but stay consistent.
Create safe spaces to practice: If you struggle with radical accountability, start with the people you trust most. Find moments to be accountable where you normally wouldn’t. Work on being authentic and true to yourself, even if you mess up. Your future self will thank you.
Conclusion
Radical accountability isn’t just about learning to be accountable. It is a path to freedom and lightness. It is releasing what is outside of our control and reclaiming what matters most: our truth and power. It is a call to take ownership of our lives.
I challenge you today to start practicing this. Small steps lead to major shifts in your life. Find just one thing to start with, whether it’s a relationship, an area of stress, a job you dislike, or even just a messy house. Remove blame, remove the need to be right or the victim, and allow yourself to be transparent and authentic.
If you enjoyed this read, please check out our podcast episode below, where Justin Gates and I dive deeper into radical accountability and how to build the skills needed to take back your life.
With love and gratitude,
Michael Perry
Ad Lucem
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3heamwkMBP15j0t041Selw?si=8OniRG8-Q26OUbZQoETAjQ
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-new-ashla-podcast/id1792724726?
i=1000710092771https://youtu.be/ImCa-QLv0Uc?si=NBtDL63OKVktRFnA
