Grindset: a funny term for one's ability to work their ass off every day without anyone telling them to do so.

Some people are able to build on their own, get lost in deep work, and grind away using only their passion and discipline. I am not one of these people.

Let me explain.

When I interviewed Courtland Allen, founder of Indie Hackers, he mentioned the accountability problem.

"It's crazy how most people don't do the things they know they should," he said. "Exercise, spend time with friends, eat well, create things...We know this stuff makes our lives way better but we don't do them. But we'll easily show up on time to a nine-to-five job we don't really like every single day. That's crazy to me."

Why is that so much easier? Because we have people holding us accountable to do so.

If we show up late to a job, we experience some sort of damage. It's embarrassing. We could get written up. Our bosses and coworkers are watching.

But when it comes to writing a blog, recording a podcast, or building a solo business...it's just you. There's no one over your shoulder telling you what to do and when to do it. If you take a day off to watch TV, no one will reprimand you.

Earlier this week, I wrote about how my creative projects burnt me out. Aside from reorganizing and reigniting myself, I did something else to help with the problem mentioned above.

I got an accountability partner. Actually, I got two.

They're both fellow life coaches and dear friends. With one, we log our working hours using Toggl and send the other person our weekly summary every Monday. With the other, I got a bit creative.

I made a shared document between the two of us with a weekly list of my creative goals:

• 2-3 YouTube clips
• 2 TikToks
• 2 blogs
• 1 podcast episode every other Thursday
• a reflection of how it went

As I work on these goals, he can see which ones I get done. If they're not all completed by the following Monday, he gets to grill me. A la accountability.

I can already feel the power of having to report to someone. I love the freedom of not having a boss but accountability keeps me at this desk until the job is done.

If you're having trouble exercising, for example. If you hired a personal trainer and bet $3000 you'd never be late to a session, it would become super easy all of a sudden.

We often don't do things because we don't feel incentivized to do things. We say things like, "I can never remember people's names," or, "I can't wake up early." But if I told you I'd give you $1m to remember the next 20 names you meet and wake up at 5 am every day for the next month...you'd have no problem.

So what do you want to do more of or less of? Who can you ask to help hold you accountable?

Reply to this email and let me know.

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