The Secret to Doing Hard Things and Getting Stuff Done

Over the last year, NPR graphics reporter Daniel Wood — a busy dad of three — says he’s been able to maintain “a workout cadence I’ve never, ever had before.”

The secret to his good exercise regime? He has an accountability group.

Wood and a few dads in his neighborhood in Cheverly, Md., wake up before their childcare morning duties to drink coffee and lift weights in one of the dad’s garages.

“Through a combination of good encouragement and friendly rivalry, we hold each other accountable to be there,” says Wood.

Accountability buddies or groups can be powerful and effective in helping you complete tasks and reach your objectives, says Ayelet Fishbach, a professor of behavioral science and marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

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