Excited Accountability

Johnny Harris (from Vox fame) talks about this concept called "Excited Accountability."

The core idea is simple: Apply for things before you are ready. You will get a Super Mario boost when the request is accepted.

The Concept

Excited Accountability works because of one fundamental truth -- when you commit to something real, with real stakes and real people counting on you, you find a way to make it happen. The external pressure transforms into internal motivation. You are no longer just "thinking about learning something" -- you are learning it because you have to.

This is different from generic accountability. The "excited" part matters. You are not grudgingly dragging yourself through a commitment. You are genuinely thrilled about the opportunity, and that excitement fuels the work required to deliver.

A Personal Example

Back in 2012, @totalBarca wanted to hire a Twitter Community specialist. I did not have any social media or writing experience at the time. Zero. But I applied without hesitation.

For the application, I had to learn how to live-tweet a football match. I figured it out on the fly, managed to do well on the assignment, and got the role.

That one decision -- applying before I was ready -- led to me becoming the Head of Social Media and taking the account to 50K followers in 2 years.

None of that would have happened if I had waited until I felt "ready." I would probably still be waiting.

Why It Works

The external push has to be credible enough. It cannot be too passive. It has to be a real connection with a person who brings about that accountability.

A vague New Year's resolution does not cut it. Telling yourself "I should learn to code" does not cut it. But signing up for a freelance project that requires you to code? That cuts it. Applying for a role that stretches your current abilities? That cuts it.

The magic formula is:

1. Find an opportunity that excites you but feels slightly out of reach.
2. Commit to it before you feel fully prepared.
3. Let the deadline and the stakes drive you to close the gap between where you are and where you need to be.

What Motivates You?

Think about the times you have grown the most. Chances are, they were not the times you carefully prepared and then executed. They were the times you jumped in, felt a little over your head, and figured it out because you had no other choice.

That is Excited Accountability in action. The question is -- what are you going to apply for next?