The Truth About the Scale

The Myth of Effortless Achievement

The idea that you can achieve success without effort is a myth perpetuated by companies selling quick fixes. 

We live in a society that has communicated the false belief that you don’t need to do anything to get what you want. 

This mindset leads us away from accountability, both in our personal relationships and professional lives.

Identifying Your Relationship Priorities

What’s your goal when it comes to the quality of your relationships? Take a moment to identify your top three priorities. 

Just as a scale provides feedback on weight loss, your relationships offer feedback on how you’re progressing toward those priorities. 

Some days, certain priorities may take precedence over others based on your circumstances — and that’s okay. 

There’s no universal “right” or “wrong” — only feedback.

Reframing Feedback

Too often, we have a negative association with feedback because we take it as criticism rather than objective information to help us improve. When giving feedback to others, start with a compliment and use “I” statements to avoid insults. 

The Importance of Accountability

A lack of accountability creates an inauthentic environment where we seek to fill emotional voids with distractions like excessive social media use, avoidance, or other habits that don’t serve us. 

True accountability means being authentic — tuning into your internal needs while considering the world around you.

Dispelling the Fantasy of Effortless Relationships

Don’t buy into the fantasy of achieving meaningful relationships without effort. 

Instead, create a meaningful life where you improve your relationships by living according to your values and priorities. 

Prepare yourself to move towards your goals one step at a time, not away from them due to avoidance. 

When feedback inevitably fluctuates, see it as a data point — not a criticism — that can guide your decisions. 

With accountability and authenticity, you can make choices aligned with who you want to be.

Self-Reflection Questions

1. What are my core values when it comes to relationships?

2. How can I hold myself accountable to those values?

3. What distractions or avoidance patterns do I need to address?

4. How can I reframe feedback as objective data rather than criticism?

Conclusion: Embracing Honest Feedback

Feedback, like a scale, doesn’t lie; it delivers honest information about the results of your efforts. Embrace that feedback with accountability and authenticity. When you live according to your priorities and values, feedback from your relationships becomes one data point in an enriching journey of personal growth.

• Esther