An Updated Spin on Accountability
Accountability is a word that I recall being used in my childhood. It was not always a pleasant experience as I was held accountable for my actions [usually when owning up to a bad behavior or mistake]. Recently, though, I have come to see the word in a new light. I see it now as being accountable for myself and to myself.
What does that mean really?
I am accountable to myself to live my true life, and for me, that is guided by my core values. I don’t think those have changed over the decades, but maybe the importance has. The older I get, the more I see that core values, being of dual heritage [Mexican and Asian-Indian ethnicity] and a practicing Catholic, I come back to what I call ‘the basics’.
What are ‘the basics’?
For me, it always has been and always will be family, spirituality, and constant learning because it’s like breathing—a must! Enjoy simple things like fishing on a slightly overcast day, enjoying a cup of coffee, or simply listening to music. I lost sight of these important parts at certain points, but I found a way back.
Responsibility: I have a responsibility to myself to understand my choices have an impact. The same choices can also have consequences. Not only do I need to own my mistakes, but also my successes. Sometimes that can be a challenge as my brain has always tied accountability to owning up to pretty much the negative. The beauty here is I also get to own the positive!
Commitment: I have an obligation to my personal and professional goals. I appreciate Dr. Mary Rensel’s approach to goal setting—bite-sized and reasonable. I haven’t read The 12 Week Year yet, but it has been added to my list for 2024 [and it is an actionable goal]!
-Since I have outlined it and ‘said’ it via writing to the readers here, I’m 70% more likely to do it!
Integrity: I act in consistency with my core values. Please don’t get core values mixed up with the basics. I see them as very different things. My core values drive what I choose to have my backbone or basics be. Over the summer, I was asked at dinner what shaped my integrity. That’s easy. A Latina mother, who was a teacher and devout Catholic. You can’t get away with anything in such a household!
Growth Mindset: Learn. Do. Act. Reassess. As humans, we are great problem solvers. I watch my kids and the tiniest of humans have taught me so much about these concepts and growth mindset.
Accountability is a key element of personal and professional growth, fostering trust, reliability, and a sense of purpose in all endeavors.
About Dr. Mary Rensel, MD, FAAN, ABIHM
Mary Rensel, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Director of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Wellness at the Mellen Center of the Cleveland Clinic. She has graduated from the Medical College of Ohio and completed her Neurology and Neuro-immunology fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic. She is boarded in Neurology and Integrative Medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Rensel’s work has focused on Adult and Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis, Brain health, and Integrative Medicine. Her work in academic medicine often intersects with wellness, advocacy, innovation, coaching, and strategic initiatives. She has been a “Best Doctor” of Cleveland since 2010 per the Cleveland Magazine. She is a national speaker in academia and a keynote in business settings and even Good Morning America and The Moth Stage. She is the owner of Brain Fresh, a neuroscience-based professional development support system, and is a Hello 7 trained Business Coach for women docs considering and or growing a business.
https://linktr.ee/Dr.MaryRensel