James Clear

And so there's much more of a cost there. And that form of accountability is a lot stronger because there's some reason why you really want to fall through on it. Now, you could say that that same thing is true for, you know, for example, a marriage or relationship. I don't want to let my partner down. I don't want them to think poorly of me and so on.

But you have to remember in that particular case, you're so close that there are actually a lot of additional complexities there. Like you want to be fairly forgiving of your partner because you're living with them all the time. Or even if it's not someone you're married to, say it's your brother or your parents or whoever. There's just a lot going on in those relationships.

But you have to remember in that particular case, you're so close that there are actually a lot of additional complexities there. Like you want to be fairly forgiving of your partner because you're living with them all the time. Or even if it's not someone you're married to, say it's your brother or your parents or whoever. There's just a lot going on in those relationships.

And so is the other person really going to become like an enemy just over you skipping your workout routine on Tuesday? Because you guys got to get dinner together on Wednesday night and you have to babysit their kids over the weekend. And there's a lot of other stuff that's involved there.

And so is the other person really going to become like an enemy just over you skipping your workout routine on Tuesday? Because you guys got to get dinner together on Wednesday night and you have to babysit their kids over the weekend. And there's a lot of other stuff that's involved there.

And so in those cases, I think the relationships are so tight or so complex that that person may not actually want to be a strict accountability partner because of the other costs may need to bear. You're kind of in this weird situation where you don't want there to be other things on the line that would influence their ability to hold you accountable.

And so in those cases, I think the relationships are so tight or so complex that that person may not actually want to be a strict accountability partner because of the other costs may need to bear. You're kind of in this weird situation where you don't want there to be other things on the line that would influence their ability to hold you accountable.

But you do actually want to care about their opinion and to bear some cost if you don't follow through. Perhaps this is the reason why having like a coach is a good example, because that's somebody that presumably you want to do a good job because you're going to see them repeatedly, even if it's not as dicey as the neighbor situation where like you do bear some social cost for it.

But you do actually want to care about their opinion and to bear some cost if you don't follow through. Perhaps this is the reason why having like a coach is a good example, because that's somebody that presumably you want to do a good job because you're going to see them repeatedly, even if it's not as dicey as the neighbor situation where like you do bear some social cost for it.

you probably bear a financial cost because you may be paying your nutrition coach $500 or $1,000 or whatever. And the more that there's some kind of painful cost associated with it, probably the more that you're going to be willing to fall through on that accountability.

you probably bear a financial cost because you may be paying your nutrition coach $500 or $1,000 or whatever. And the more that there's some kind of painful cost associated with it, probably the more that you're going to be willing to fall through on that accountability.

Boy, that's a big question. I'm not a coach. I've been fortunate to have some good ones. And I've also had a bunch of mediocre ones, too. And thinking about the difference between them. we could have a whole conversation about coaching and about the art of that because there is a really fine balance there.

Boy, that's a big question. I'm not a coach. I've been fortunate to have some good ones. And I've also had a bunch of mediocre ones, too. And thinking about the difference between them. we could have a whole conversation about coaching and about the art of that because there is a really fine balance there.

And I think there also is a big difference in the, I'm going to use athlete, but of course you can have a coach for many things, but there's a big difference also in the intensity that the athlete might have. You can imagine I was into Olympic weightlifting for a time and it was kind of the main way I was training. I had the fortune of training with a really great team.

And I think there also is a big difference in the, I'm going to use athlete, but of course you can have a coach for many things, but there's a big difference also in the intensity that the athlete might have. You can imagine I was into Olympic weightlifting for a time and it was kind of the main way I was training. I had the fortune of training with a really great team.

I was very average, but Holly Mangold was on that team and she competed at the Olympic Games in London in 2012. Just watching the interactions between the coaches and her and what was required for her to make it to the Olympics. was interesting to see. There is every element of a tight relationship there. I mean, there's tough love and there's actual love.

I was very average, but Holly Mangold was on that team and she competed at the Olympic Games in London in 2012. Just watching the interactions between the coaches and her and what was required for her to make it to the Olympics. was interesting to see. There is every element of a tight relationship there. I mean, there's tough love and there's actual love.

And there are some days where you have to be really harsh and some days where you have to be really soft. And there's all the dynamics of the athlete's internal mindset. There are days when you go out and you feel like you're a world killer and like nobody can touch you.

And there are some days where you have to be really harsh and some days where you have to be really soft. And there's all the dynamics of the athlete's internal mindset. There are days when you go out and you feel like you're a world killer and like nobody can touch you.

And then there are other days where you just feel completely broken and you're like, can I keep this training up for another six months? The more intense the objective is that you're trying to achieve, I think the more detailed and balanced and nuanced all of that becomes.