Do you have big goals or a big goal you’d like to achieve? And you’re tired of starting and stopping only to restart the same plan again? Perhaps you are missing one of the most essential ingredients in any plan: accountability.
Accountability is not a dirty word. In my opinion, it’s just the opposite. It is a valuable asset when initiating and completing any worthwhile plan or project.
In many cases, accountability is heavily referenced during disciplinary actions and is often viewed as punitive. While there are certain times when “holding someone accountable” may feel harsh to the recipient, the definition I like to use for accountability still has a success component as its foundation. During disciplinary actions, the goal should be to help the individual to get on the right path to success. To me, essentially, accountability is helping another person be successful at any goal or aspiration they’ve shared with you.
As we will see, all accountability measures do not involve other individuals, but some of the most effective strategies may involve others. Using consistent accountability measures have helped me go further and faster than I ever imagined that I could. With that said, here are five tips that have helped me over the years and still help me today to pursue and conquer any goal:
- Write it down. There’s something powerful about having a goal that you can refer to in written format every day. Not only does writing your goals down help you to remember them, but studies show that writing down your goals helps to streamline your focus. Written goals serve as a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish. Penning the goal brings clarity and makes goals much more concrete. Things get fuzzy very quickly when it’s all in our mind, so write it down.
- Break down your goals into smaller, actionable steps that you can take every day to achieve them and include milestones. Milestones are important because every time we achieve a particular milestone, that’s an opportunity to celebrate. And what does celebration do for us? It motivates and encourages us to keep going because we can see the progress we’ve made. When you think goals, think also about the milestones that signal that you are on your way to achieving them.
- Tell someone you trust. There’s something exhilarating about sharing our goals and dreams with someone we trust. When there is mutual sharing with excitement among family and friends, the feel-good hormone (dopamine) is released in the brain. I have a few friends that I love sharing with and hearing their shares. The positive energy is just so contagious. Make sure you tell others about your goals and give them the freedom to hold you accountable.
- Have regular check-ins with yourself. I mean seriously include those check-in dates in your calendar and keep the date! This affords wonderful opportunity to reflect on and review your goals. I do this regularly—sometimes at home and sometimes away alone but regularly. Some things to consider: Do you still desire the goals? Is the timeframe feasible and reasonable? Are you taking the right actions to produce the right results? And so much more! There is freedom in self-reflection. Get your calendar out now. You can schedule this without having the goal yet. Perhaps you need this time to determine what the goal(s) should be.
- Hire a professional if necessary. I know when I’ve wanted to achieve a big goal, I had no hesitation hiring someone to help me achieve it. For example, I wanted to lose weight, so I hired a personal trainer. Why? Because I know that my personal trainer would hold me accountable in the very way that I needed to be held accountable. And it worked! What’s different about hiring a professional versus sharing with a friend is the focus and the objectivity. A hired professional has complete allegiance to your goal(s). They are not looking for you to support them with their own goals. It’s all about you! Friendships are not one-sided; they are reciprocal relationships. Don’t hesitate to invest in yourself and hire a professional to help you achieve your goals.
Are you tired of wasting time starting and stopping, only to begin all over again? Do you have goals you would like to achieve and are not sure where to begin? Would you like to have a conversation about them with no obligation? Schedule a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call with me and let’s discuss your goals and dreams. Visit tabithaperson.com/discover to schedule.