When I work with clients, the #1 thing they tell me they need is accountability. They know what they need to do to reach their goals, but struggle to actually do it. Distractions, setbacks, and life tend to get in the way of taking the steps needed to accomplish a big goal.
So how can you stay accountable when it feels like making progress is impossible? There are several ways, but it’s important to understand that you must be accountable to yourself first and foremost. Figure out your action plan, keep your eyes on the prize, and work to build the habits to get you there.
That said, using the following tips and tools can definitely help to keep you on track. Pick one or two and see how they work for you!
1. Find a buddy. Reach out to your network to find someone with similar goals and ask them to team up with you. There are lots of options to work with a buddy, so you can discuss and decide what works best. Options can include daily texts to check in, weekly calls to talk about how your week went and what you want to work on in the next week, or regular working sessions in person or through Zoom. Get creative and make it fun!
2. Sign up for a class. These days, coaches and experts in various fields offer a wide variety of classes in person or online. Whether you need to learn a new skill that will move you forward, or need a refresher on a familiar topic, you can likely find a course to suit your needs. You’ll get accountability from committing to the class and instructor, plus you’ll be less likely to skip if you’re paying for it.
3. Share what you’re doing on social media. The more people you tell, the more likely you’ll be to keep going. For example, a few years ago I committed to a run/walk streak for the month of December that requires me to walk or run at least a mile every day. I shared about doing it at the beginning of the month and posted a picture with my mileage on my stories every day. Knowing my friends and followers were watching kept me getting out there every day to get those miles in, even when it was inconvenient or I didn’t feel like it!
4. Hire a coach. Yes, I know I’m a coach and this is a plug for what I do. But not only am I a coach, but I also have a coach of my own. I know each time I meet with her we’ll be discussing my progress toward my own goals and you can bet I don’t want to go into those meetings having made no progress at all. Not only can a coach hold you accountable, but she can also help you shift your mindset, overcome obstacles, and stay focused on the actions that lead to goal achievement.
5. Keep a daily journal or habit tracker. There’s just something about putting things in writing that helps to keep goals on track. You can either write out a daily entry that details what you did for the day, or just create a checklist of the tasks you’re working on and check them off each day. There are many planners and journals out there that include habit trackers as well. Pick a system that appeals most to you and go for it.
If you’re having trouble with accountability, even after trying some of these tips, you may need to reevaluate your goals. Do you really WANT to achieve that goal, and if so, why? Keep asking yourself why to really dig down to what’s actually important to you. Once you discover that, accountability will come easily. You may even discover that the goal you thought you wanted doesn’t mean as much to you as you originally thought. If that’s the case, journaling, working with a coach, or talking with a trusted friend may help you discover something more meaningful.
