Transformation Through Accountability by Mark Edgington

I used to be pretty good at rationalizing things. I could explain away almost anything. “It wasn’t really my fault.” “People misunderstood me.” “That’s not who I am anymore.”

And sure, some of that might have even been true. But at some point, I realized I was putting more energy into protecting my pride than into actually changing.

You have to take responsibility for who you’ve been before true change can take place, and I’ve learned something surprising along the way: most people don’t expect you to be perfect.

They just want you to be honest.

When I stopped dodging the hard conversations and started telling the truth about my past — about the harm I caused, the people I hurt, and the time I lost, I found more grace than I expected.

So, What Does Accountability Look Like?

It looks like calling yourself out before someone else has to.

It looks like listening when it’s easier to talk.

It looks like apologizing without the word “but” attached to it.It looks like doing the work when no one’s watching.

Transformation isn’t a one-time event. It’s not a checklist you complete and move on from.

It’s a daily choice to take responsibility for your life. To show up, flaws and all. To build trust slowly.

For me, that journey started with admitting some hard truths.

And if I’ve learned anything, it’s this:

Accountability doesn’t break you. It builds you.

One awkward, unfiltered, humble conversation at a time.

—

Mark Edgington

This article also appears on https://medium.com/@edgington.teams, where you can learn more about Mark Edgington’s ongoing work.