--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: without these accountability tools, I…" description: "\"“without these accountability tools, I tended to procrastinate on this work, turning my attention to more urgent but less important matters.”\" — Cal Ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg" --- # without these accountability tools, I tended to… ![“without these accountability tools, I tended to procrastinate on this work, turning my attention to more urgent but less important matters.” quote by Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg) > ““without these accountability tools, I tended to procrastinate on this work, turning my attention to more urgent but less important matters.”” [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lack of accountability leads to procrastination and focusing on urgent but low‑impact tasks. **In simple terms:** Without accountability we procrastinate on important work. Key Takeaway Create accountability structures. Themes productivity focus procrastination Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - project deadlines - study sessions - team meetings - personal goals Key Concepts self‑regulation time management Questions to Reflect On - How can you build external accountability? - What tasks truly deserve your focus? A Different Perspective Accountability alone may not change habits without intrinsic motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ## Related quotes > [“I wished, as it were, to procrastinate all that related to my feelings of affection until the great object, which swallowed up every habit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-shelley/i-wished-as-it-were-to-procrastinate-all-that-related-to-my-feelings/) [Mary Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-shelley/) > [I procrastinate to a point where I'm filled with self-loathing and then I start writing. It's usually a state of self-loathing that gets me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/i-procrastinate-to-a-point-where-i-m-filled-with-self-loathing-and/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [The more you think about it, the more time you have to make up fears and procrastinate. Just do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-you-think-about-it-the-more-time-you-have-to-make-up-fears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Those who begin things, but never complete them, accomplish nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/those-who-begin-things-but-never-complete-them-accomplish-nothing/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [“When we procrastinate, we also put a hold on happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman/when-we-procrastinate-we-also-put-a-hold-on-happiness/) [Charles F. Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman/) > [“Procrasdemon is fighting hard to feed off of distractions and pleasures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeraj-agnihotri/procrasdemon-is-fighting-hard-to-feed-off-of-distractions-and/) [Neeraj Agnihotri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeraj-agnihotri/) > [Potential is an excuse to procrastinate; Ambition is a means to thrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-king/potential-is-an-excuse-to-procrastinate-ambition-is-a-means-to-thrive/) Donovan King > [“If you want to begin living a Zen lifestyle, start living it right now and don’t procrastinate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/if-you-want-to-begin-living-a-zen-lifestyle-start-living-it-right-now/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [When writers say that they need to 'set the mood' or 'get into the zone', those are all ways to procrastinate. Not prerequisites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gulzar/when-writers-say-that-they-need-to-set-the-mood-or-get-into-the-zone/) [Gulzar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gulzar/) > [I am a person who works well under pressure. In fact, I work so well under pressure that at times, I will procrastinate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/i-am-a-person-who-works-well-under-pressure-in-fact-i-work-so-well/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [“Urgency makes the difference between practitioners, proclaimers and procrastinators.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/urgency-makes-the-difference-between-practitioners-proclaimers-and/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [“The real enemy of genius is the router in the hallway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-o-monk/the-real-enemy-of-genius-is-the-router-in-the-hallway/) A.O. Monk > [Procrastination comes in two types. Some of us procrastinate in order to pursue restful activities - spending time in bed, watching TV - while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/procrastination-comes-in-two-types-some-of-us-procrastinate-in-order/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Some people procrastinate so much that all they can do is run around like firefighters all day - putting out fires that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nido-r-qubein/some-people-procrastinate-so-much-that-all-they-can-do-is-run-around/) [Nido R Qubein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nido-r-qubein/) > [“I have met people who have ruined their entire lives because of procrastination. They were unaware of why they never took a step, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeraj-agnihotri/i-have-met-people-who-have-ruined-their-entire-lives-because-of/) [Neeraj Agnihotri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeraj-agnihotri/) ## More by Cal Newport > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“many software companies now deploy the Scrum project management methodology, which replaces a lot of this ad hoc messaging with regular, highly structured, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/many-software-companies-now-deploy-the-scrum-project-management/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“when paying more than $1,000 a day to write the chapter in a suite of an old hotel down the street from a Hogwarts-style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/when-paying-more-than-1-000-a-day-to-write-the-chapter-in-a-suite-of/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“When deciding whether to follow an appealing pursuit that will introduce more control into your work life, seek evidence of whether people are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/when-deciding-whether-to-follow-an-appealing-pursuit-that-will/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Let your mind become a lens, thanks to the converging rays of attention; let your soul be all intent on whatever it is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/let-your-mind-become-a-lens-thanks-to-the-converging-rays-of/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“study by Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow. In this study, a group of management consultants were asked to disconnect for a full day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/study-by-harvard-business-school-professor-leslie-perlow-in-this/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“if it’s rare and valuable, it’s not easy to get. This insight brought me into the world of performance science, where I encountered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/if-it-s-rare-and-valuable-it-s-not-easy-to-get-this-insight-brought/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Here’s the routine: Once a week I require myself to summarize in my “bible” a paper I think might be relevant to my research.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/here-s-the-routine-once-a-week-i-require-myself-to-summarize-in-my/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“craftsman mindset is the foundation for creating work you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/craftsman-mindset-is-the-foundation-for-creating-work-you-love/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“the journalist philosophy. This name is a nod to the fact that journalists, like Walter Isaacson, are trained to shift into a writing mode…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-journalist-philosophy-this-name-is-a-nod-to-the-fact-that/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Not long into his 2010 TED talk on creativity and leadership, Derek Sivers plays a video clip of a crowd at an outdoor concert.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/not-long-into-his-2010-ted-talk-on-creativity-and-leadership-derek/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Kirk’s path to American Treasures was incremental. He didn’t decide out of nowhere that he wanted to host a television show and then work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/kirk-s-path-to-american-treasures-was-incremental-he-didn-t-decide/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“If you spend too much time focusing on whether or not you’ve found your true calling, the question will be rendered moot when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/if-you-spend-too-much-time-focusing-on-whether-or-not-you-ve-found/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Their plans were circumspect and small-time. They weren’t dreaming of taking over the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/their-plans-were-circumspect-and-small-time-they-weren-t-dreaming-of/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“This chain method (as some now call it) soon became a hit among writers and fitness enthusiasts—communities that thrive on the ability to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/this-chain-method-as-some-now-call-it-soon-became-a-hit-among-writers/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) [Explore all 257 Cal Newport quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) ## More Accountability quotes > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) Edward Greenspon > [I come from a world where accountability and accomplishments matter, and where titles and rhetoric take a back seat to results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-come-from-a-world-where-accountability-and-accomplishments-matter/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) Philip Alston > [Responsible Development shares many practices with XP but the roots are different. Responsible Development's values are honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility. These lead me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/responsible-development-shares-many-practices-with-xp-but-the-roots/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bullard/opinion-is-really-the-lowest-form-of-human-knowledge-it-requires-no/) Bill Bullard > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) Michael Soussan [Browse all 860 Accountability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“without these accountability tools, I tended to procrastinate on this work, turning my attention to more urgent but less important matters.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cal Newport" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/without-these-accountability-tools-i-tended-to-procrastinate-on-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accountability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/without-these-accountability-tools-i-tended-to-procrastinate-on-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/cal-newport-1302_accountability_without-these-accountability-tools-i-ten_2145119.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“without these accountability tools, I tended to procrastinate on this work, turning my attention to more…” — Cal Newport", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cal Newport", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“without these accountability tools, I tended...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/without-these-accountability-tools-i-tended-to-procrastinate-on-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/without-these-accountability-tools-i-tended-to-procrastinate-on-this/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```