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ACCOUNTABILITY STARTS WITH PURPOSE

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.—Friedrich Nietzsche

 

Any examination of accountability should start at the beginning, that is, in the Garden of Eden.

Accountability issues have been around since Adam and Eve ate the apple in the Garden of Eden. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the snake.

Blaming others rarely works as a long-term solution. The snake’s reward for his behavior was a lifetime of crawling. Eve’s reward was painful childbirth. Adam’s reward was a lifetime of toil.

“Hold on,” you’re thinking, “you just said, in the Preface, that ‘accountability is less about sticks and carrots and more about purpose and trust,’ yet this Old Testament story clearly describes the wielding of a cosmic ...

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