Accountability Quotes To Keep You In Check
March 20, 2023 5:00 AM EST
If you feel like you need a little push to keep you focused, allow these accountability quotes to be your trusted guide.
Accountability is one of the most important elements for achieving success and living a meaningful life.
Whether in the workplace, in leadership, in relationships or in your personal life, accountability is one of your most valuable assets.
According to a study by the Project Management Institute, only 58% of organizations fully understand the value of project management.
This highlights the need for greater awareness and education around the importance of accountability in project management and overall organizational success.
When you follow through with your commitments and responsibilities, your self-esteem will grow, your relationships will thrive, and you’ll be able to make progress both personally and professionally.
If you’re in leadership, people will respect you more, and you will be a great example for others to follow.
To achieve a notable amount of success at anything, you must hold yourself accountable for your actions, responsibilities, and goals.
Although other people will help you improve, it’s up to you to hold yourself to a high standard.
Holding yourself accountable is nothing more than doing the things you know you should do.
It means solving your own problems, fixing your mistakes, and fully owning the things that happen in your life.
It is your life, so you must take control and be responsible for it.
To motivate you on your quest to live a fulfilled life, below is our collection of inspirational, wise, and helpful accountability quotes, accountability sayings, and accountability proverbs, collected from a variety of sources over the years.
If you like this article, we suggest you explore our most popular quotes article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily encouragement.
Read more related content on our inspirational quotes category page.
Accountability Quotes To Keep You In Check
A study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity found that organizations with a formal system of accountability for goal-setting and performance management are more likely to achieve their objectives and see positive results.
This highlights the importance of having clear goals and a structured approach to accountability.
1. “You are accountable for your actions, your decisions, your life; no one else is, but you.” – Catherine Pulsifer
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-1.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on honesty quotes.
2. “Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen R. Covey
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-2.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on Socrates quotes.
3. “In reality, we all have our lives, and the accountability for the achievement of our dreams and goals falls strictly on our own shoulders.” – Thomas Matt
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-3.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on collaboration quotes.
4. “Each day you are leading by example. Whether you realize it or not or whether it’s positive or negative, you are influencing those around you.” ― Rob Liano
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-4.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on John Proctor quotes.
5. “I believe that accountability is the basis of all meaningful human achievement.” – Sam Silverstein
![Accountability Quotes To Keep You In Check](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/meaningful-accountability-quotes.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on authenticity quotes.
6. “In life we can have results or reasons. If you are not getting the results you want, your reasons are the lies that you keep telling yourself.” – Harald Anderson
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-6.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on responsible person.
7. “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” – Oprah Winfrey
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-7.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on integrity quotes-2.
8. “Creating a culture of integrity and accountability not only improves effectiveness, it also generates a respectful, enjoyable and life-giving setting in which to work.” – Tom Hanson
If you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of culture quotes about its power in society.
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-8.jpg)
You will also enjoy our article on bad habits quotes.
9. “We are all responsible and accountable for what we do or say even if those behaviors occur in stressful times.” – Byron Pulsifer
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-9.jpg)
10. “Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.” – Les Brown
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-10.jpg)
Accountability quotes to help you reach your goals and dreams
According to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, 91% of employees believe that accountability is one of the top development needs for their organization.
This underscores the importance of providing training and resources to help individuals and teams become more accountable and achieve their goals.
11. “My experience is that accountability is an extremely powerful tool to align an organization toward its objectives.” – Susan Gomez
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-11.jpg)
12. “Be accountable for doing the right things. This means ethical execution of the activities that will actually support the goals you have chosen for yourself.” – Sam Silverstein
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-12.jpg)
13. “A duty dodged is like a debt unpaid; it is only deferred, and we must come back and settle the account at last.” – Joseph Fort Newton
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-13.jpg)
14. “If I could give one tip for people – it’s not an exercise or nutrition regimen. It’s to walk your talk and believe in yourself, because at the end of the day, the dumbbell and diet don’t get you in shape. It’s your accountability to your word.” – Brett Hoebel
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-14.jpg)
15. “The benefits and possibilities that are created by being personally accountable are countless.” – Jay Fiset
![Accountability quotes to help you reach your goals and dreams](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/personal-accountability-quotes.jpg)
16. “Accountability is a key concept in moving an organization forward, especially in a challenging business climate.” – Cindy Tucker
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-16.jpg)
17. “Individuals and teams have a sense of ownership, and are focused, disciplined and collaborative, while holding each other accountable for outcomes.” – Di Worrall
If you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of team quotes that will inspire you and your teammates to collectively meet your goals.
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-17.jpg)
18. “When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else.” ― David Brin
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-18.jpg)
19. “People are more inclined to pass the buck than they are to take responsibility. The fact is, though, passing the buck doesn’t build your character or give you the opportunity to learn from your mistakes.” – Marshall Goldsmith
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-19.jpg)
20. “It is in your best interest to recognize that there is a difference between being responsible and taking responsibility. You Have the Freedom and Power to Choose.” – Christopher Avery
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-20.jpg)
Accountability quotes on following through with your commitments and responsibilities
21. “If we want unity, we must all be unifiers. If we want accountability, each of us must be accountable for all we do.” – Christine Gregoire
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-21.jpg)
22. “When accountability is present, people keep their eyes on a very clear prize. They know what they are working toward and how they are going to get there.” – Henry J. Evans
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-22.jpg)
23. “The first step to creating a wealthy life is starting from wherever you are today. That self-honesty takes the highest level of personal accountability.” – Loral Langemeier
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-23.jpg)
24. “You will not experience dramatic change in your struggle as long as you use accountability to describe your sins instead of declaring your need for help in the midst of temptation.” ― Heath Lambert
![accountability quotes](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/accountability-quotes-24.jpg)
25. “Accountability is the glue that bonds commitment to results.” ― Will Craig
![Accountability quotes on following through with your commitments and responsibilities](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/accountability-quotes-on-commitment.jpg)
26. “It’s just that we’re all accountable for our own happiness. And being happy does matter. It’s up to each of us to find out what shape or form that takes.” – Peter Jennings
27. “When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines the kind of men we are.” – Ceasar Chavez
28. “Big pay and little responsibility are circumstances seldom found together.” – Napoleon Hill
29. “Talent is part of the equation, but when you combine talent with accountability and authenticity, it is tough to beat.” ― David Ross
30. ”To function effectively, a business requires leaders who are accountable for driving success.” – Barry Linetsky
Accountability quotes to help you take control of your life
31. “No one is perfect, and we all understand that, but when we decide to make that lifelong commitment, we need to weigh the cost and know God is holding us accountable for the commitments we make.” – Dr. Kenton D. Wiley
32. “To be accountable or to be a victim is one of those elemental decisions that everyone needs to make. Simply, the former leads you to a happier and more rewarding life.” – Rob Pitfield
33. “The notion of accountability has emerged as a human tool to motivate people – do what you’re supposed to do or you’ll be held to account.” – Art Horn
34. “To take responsibility for yourself as a leader and person; you need to learn to unlearn bad habits, and learn from your mistakes.” – Andrea Reibmayr
35. “Accountability means to say what you do, do what you say.” ― Pearl Zhu
![Accountability quotes to help you take control of your life](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/accountability-quotes-on-what-it-means.jpg)
36. “With a company full of accountable people, extraordinary things, even the entirely unexpected, tend to happen.” – Roger Connors
37. “Blame is the coward’s solution to his fear of accountability.” ― Craig D. Lounsbrough
38. “The time has come to carry accountability forward, to take it offline and into the real world. To share our lives with just a few people we really, truly, honestly trust.” – Craig Gross
39. “It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” – Moliere
40. “Accountability is – first and foremost – about being reliable. To get a good picture of your personal accountability, you may want to periodically ask yourself, “Can people count on me to do what I say I’ll do, as I said I would do it?” – Henry J. Evans
Accountability quotes to inspire and teach
41.) “Accountability crumbles silos, boosts teamwork and collaboration, strengthens camaraderie, creativity, resiliency, agility, trust, and communication.” – Mike Evans
42. “At the end of the day we are accountable to ourselves – our success is a result of what we do.” – Catherine Pulsifer
43. “Building a culture in which people take accountability to deliver on its promises is hard work and can be difficult to accomplish. Only when every person is held accountable to themselves, their peers, and their shared possibility can the impossible become possible.” – Ginger Graham
44. “Blaming, whining, deflecting accountability, risk aversion, and resistance to change are but a handful of symptoms of the adversity-beaten individual and organization.” – Paul G. Stoltz
45. “To achieve life mastery and be worthy of a life well lived, we must take action, ownership, and responsibility for our choices. Our date with destiny is not about reaching a final destination. It is about how fully we live the journey.” – Will Craig
46. “Don’t get up from the feast of life without paying for your share of it.” – W. R. Inge
![accountability quotes to inspire and teach](https://everydaypower.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/wise-accountability-quotes.jpg)
47. “The benefit of truly accountable leaders is that they are able to create effective structures where their staff know what is expected of them, and can improve the business for customers.” – Jane Storm
48. “Neither age nor experience matters when it comes to being personally accountable for any and all outcomes- no excuses whatsoever- be they positive or negative, nor shifting blame to other people or to external factors.” – Kory Livingstone
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of excuses quotes about the power of sticking to your word.
49. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about habit development is that you need accountability to stick to a major goal. It’s not enough to make a personal commitment.” – S. J. Scott
50. “Truly accountable leadership is the only way to build an organization that can not only survive in our increasingly complicated world but also grow and thrive.” ― Vince Molinaro
Accountability quotes for a well-lived life
51. “The right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the same.” – Steve Maraboli
52. “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” – Thomas Paine
53. “The only people that can ruin a relationship or make that relationship work are the two people in it.” – Rob Liano
54. “Accountability is where the cowardice of my teetering self-image is wrangled into submission by the force of my ethics.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough
55. “Without accountability there’s no civilization.” – Abhijit Naskar
56. “Accountability is the only real beginning to change.” – Daniel Abbott
57. “Accountability is the line of control between human and animal behavior.” – Abhijit Naskar
58. “Forgiveness is telling ourselves that the ‘wrong’ that we did will not impede the ‘right’ that we can do.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough
59. “Real leadership involves clear communication, personal accountability, and a zest for bringing out the best in everyone!” – Farshad Asl
60. “I think sometimes making yourself vulnerable before you are ready is exactly what can hold you accountable. Do what you fear.” – Brittany Burgunder
More accountability quotes and sayings
61. “Accountability in friendship is the equivalent of love without strategy.” – Anita Brookner
62. “If you made the choice to get in there and fight, you have to accept accountability for whatever happens.” – Roy Nelson
63. “Men are more accountable for their motives than for anything else; and primarily, morality consists in the motives, that is in the affections.” – Archibald Alexander
64. “The time is always right to do what’s right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
65. “It was accountability that Nixon feared.” – Bob Woodward
66. “To be accountable means that we are willing to be responsible to another person for our behavior and it implies a level of submission to another’s opinions and viewpoints.” – Wayde Goodall
67. “Restoring responsibility and accountability is essential to the economic and fiscal health of our nation.” – Carl Levin
68. “A friend can inspire enthusiasm as well as accountability, and that serves to challenge you.” – Deanna Cosso
69. “It means a lot. It means I’m accountable.” – Champ Bailey
70. “What you do tells me everything about you.” – Jerry Fernandez
Accountability quotes to help you take responsibility for your life
71. “Transparency increases credibility and accountability.” — Park Won-soon
72. “Consumer accountability drives quality and efficiency.” — Pete Hoekstra
73. “Be brave and take accountability for your thoughts and beliefs.” — Jennifer Hyman
74. “The keys to brand success are self-definition, transparency, authenticity and accountability.” — Simon Mainwaring
75. “It amazes me that parents are allowed to raise kids. There’s so much power and often very little accountability.” — Ben Marcus
76. “True love does not only encompass the things that make you feel good, it also holds you to a standard of accountability.” — Monica Johnson
77. “If any of us were faced with a huge bag of free money and very little accountability, it would be human nature that you would make the most of it.” — Heather Brooke
78. “Camaraderie doesn’t happen by accident; developing a strong sense of trust, accountability, and togetherness around team goals requires intentional effort.” — Don Yaeger
79. “If men can learn to be less defensive, more open to others, and more accepting of accountability, they will adapt well to the new global economy.” — John Gerzema
80. “Maybe you’re not perfect, but you’re willing to actually look at yourself and take some kind of accountability. That’s a change. It might not mean that you can turn everything around, but I think there’s something incredibly hopeful about that.” — Brie Larson
Insightful Accountability Quotes
81. “It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.” — Mahatma Gandhi
82.”Leaders inspire accountability through their ability to accept responsibility before they place blame.” — Courtney Lynch
83. “Take accountability… Blame is the water in which many dreams and relationships drown.” — Steve Maraboli
84. “Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.” — George Washington Carver
85. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.” — General Colin Powell
86. “Responsibility equals accountability equals ownership. And a sense of ownership is the most powerful weapon a team or organization can have.” — Pat Summitt
87. “I’ve come to realize that the desperate need for accountable leaders is the fundamental challenge organizations are facing today.” — Vince Molinaro
88. “Teams keep leaders accountable for the goal. Individuals connected to no one can change the goal without accountability.” — John C. Maxwell
89. “Accountability, is the state or condition of being accountable or responsible. That is right. We are responsible for what goes on in our heads.” — John Faulkner
90. “On good teams coaches hold players accountable, on great teams’ players hold players accountable.” — Joe Dumars
Accountability Quotes to Inspire Responsibility
91. “Accountability separates the wishers in life from the action-takers that care enough about their future to account for their daily actions.” — John Di Lemme
92. “Break the riddle of accountability, the thinking goes, and you will have solved one of the thorniest issues in modern business.” — Mihnea Moldoveanu
93. “Good men prefer to be accountable.” — Michael Edwardes
94. “Simple organizational structure and clear accountability are necessary conditions for the exercise of effective leadership.” — John Adair
95. “Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility . . . In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility.” — Michael Korda
96. “We are all accountable for our actions; their affect and influence on our lives and the lives of others.” — Sameh Elsayed
97. “Understanding the true meaning of accountability makes us strong and enables us to learn.” — Sameh Elsayed
98. “If you are building a culture where honest expectations are communicated and peer accountability is the norm, then the group will address poor performance and attitudes.” — Henry Cloud
99. “You must be accountable constantly to those demands that are made on your time and it is only you that can allocate what time can be used for what purpose.” — Byron Pulsifer
100. “Good men are bound by conscience and liberated by accountability.” — Wes Fesler
Accountability Quotes That You Should Know
101. “Open collaboration encourages greater accountability, which in turn fosters trust.” — Ron Garan
102. “Dignity is the reward of holding oneself accountable to conscience.” — Wes Fesler
103. “Perhaps nothing in our society is more needed for those in positions of authority than accountability.” ― Larry Burkett
104. “There’s not a chance we’ll reach our full potential until we stop blaming each other and start practicing personal accountability.” — John Miller
105. “Having authority implies accountability. If you reject the blame for failures under your watch, people reject your leadership.” — Rick Warren
106. “When people feel accountable and included, it is more fun.” — Alan Mulally
107. “A president cannot defend a nation if he is not held accountable to its laws.” ― DaShanne Stokes
108. “Life is not accountable to us. We are accountable to life.” — Denis Waitley
109. “A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for injury.” — John Stuart Mill
110. “On one side of accountability is courage, on the other is freedom.” — Jean Hamilton
Accountability Quotes To Illustrate How It Impacts Results
111. “Exercise. It made me accountable to myself by teaching me how to feel strong. But I don’t mean just on the outside. It got to me in a deeper way by showing me how to have a healthy relationship with myself.” — Stacey Griffith
112. “Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.” — Bob Proctor
113. “No individual can achieve worthy goals without accepting accountability for his or her own actions.” — Dan Miller
114. “Trust, honesty, humility, transparency and accountability are the building blocks of a positive reputation. Trust is the foundation of any relationship.” — Mike Paul
115. “Accountability only works if you want it to.” — Dillon Burroughs
116. “I made the decision. I’m accountable.” — Janet Reno
117. “There is no accountability in soft money. None.” — Zach Wamp
118. “In our recovery package we put new standards of accountability and transparency, which we hope will now apply.” — Nancy Pelosi
119. “There’s responsibility, but there’s also accountability. You have to be accountable for your actions. You have to stand at your locker when things are going bad.” — Derek Jeter
120. “Forgiving yourself, not guilt, increases personal accountability.” — David D. Burns
Accountability Quotes To Promote Growth
121. “The word accounting comes from the word accountability. If you are going to be rich, you need to be accountable for your money.” — Robert Kiyosaki
122. “Being accountable is somewhat ingrained into the life of a first responder.” ― Asa Don Brown
123. “Without accountability there will be no growth.” ― Manuel Corazzari
124. “Today’s seed is tomorrow’s shade, but you must sow it first and nourish it with an uncorrupted accountability.” ― Abhijit Naskar
125. “Goodness makes you accountable, accountability strengthens your goodness.” ― Abhijit Naskar
126. “Great leaders do not fear accountability because it is part of their responsibility.” ― Gift Gugu Mona
127. “The greatest gift we can give our children is teaching them accountability.” ― Ron Baratono
128. “Take accountability before an excuse snatches you.” ― Tyconis D. Allison Ty
129. “An accountable mind has learned to be agile, wise, courageous, resilient, and high-mature.” ― Pearl Zhu
130. “There is a fine line between overbearing accountability and an allowance for mistakes.” ― Miles Anthony Smith
Accountability Quotes For Being Transparent and Responsible
131. “One thing I detest most about the financial press is the lack of accountability. All sorts of nonsense is said without penalty.” — Barry Ritholtz
132. “An authentic spirituality does not cater to culture; it calls culture to accountability.” — Joan D. Chittister
133. “Professional accountability is a good thing. Without it, excellence is merely a pipe dream and even average performance isn’t a realistic expectation.” — Leon F.
134. “It’s not an insult to have a past and to have some accountability to it.” — Grant-Lee Phillips
135. “Execution is a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability.” — Lawrence Bossidy
136. “I’m pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do.” — John Mayer
137. “There is no accountability today… no willingness to focus on big ideas.” — Michael Bloomberg
138. “We’re building a culture of accountability, trust, and togetherness. Entitlement will not be tolerated.” — Brad Stevens
139. “When they say accountability, they mean surveillance and standardization.” — Marc Lamont Hill
140. “I just think we need more accountability and more transparency.” — John Thune
Which of these accountability quotes was your favorite?
It is up to you to make sure you’re doing what you know you should be doing.
No one should have to hold you accountable for your actions, responsibilities and goals.
You cannot achieve anything that is important to you if you don’t follow through with your commitments and responsibilities.
Hopefully, the quotes above have inspired you to take control and be responsible for your life.
Did you enjoy these accountability quotes?
Which of the quotes was your favorite?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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