Academic Writing Amplified 73: Accountability vs. Community
Does writing keep falling to the bottom of your list? Do you think you need accountability to hold you to your goals? I want to show you why you need community instead.
Accountability, or the idea that you need an external person to “hold you” to your goals, is rooted in patriarchy. Entrenched social structures in the culture of academia have given rise to womxn who are not trusted to hold themselves to their own standards and who perhaps do not trust themselves.
A lot of womxn who come to my writing programs are looking for accountability at first, and I get it. But I challenge you to explore new ways to get writing done that aren’t sending a message to yourself that you are weak, can’t hold time for yourself and are not to be trusted with your own work. So what else can we do? We can feminize the concept of accountability in 3 ways.
1. Practice Self-TrustSelf-trust is a muscle you strengthen by using it. Practice listening to and relying on your inner voice to know what is right for you alone. Give your own voice more weight than the voices of those outside of you. Relying on an outside entity to force change is unsustainable. Instead, cultivate the ability to trust yourself to know the best way forward. As Alexandra Frazen says in this wonderful article, go with your “hut” (heart + gut).
2. Build BoundariesI’ve talked about boundaries in many different contexts, and I’m bringing them up again here because they are that important. You must create boundaries around your time in order to have the impact you desire. Remember: the things you spend your time doing in your career are your career. Don’t you want writing to be at the top of that list?
“How are we holding firm to what is important?” -Cathy Mazak
3. CommunityThe fantastic news is that learning and growth and development don’t have to come on your own. When we are in community, we are surrounded by others who have shared experiences and shared values, and that is powerful! A community lifts us up to our goals, rather than holding us accountable.
“When you think you need accountability, what you really need is community.”
-Cathy Mazak
If you’re ready to get radical and open yourself up to creating growth in your life and the lives of your community, join us in Momentum!
Coming soon: pre-enrollment for my Navigate course, helping you to navigate a career of your own design, using 10 systems and powered by writing. All of our Momentum members will get priority sign up and special bonuses, so if you’ve been thinking about trying Momentum, now is the time! Learn more and sign up here: cathymazak.com/momentum
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This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode73.