You probably recognise this following scenario when you think about your goals.
You’ve set your goals and spent time detailing your plan on how to achieve them. But somehow, it’s not coming together. You still find yourself not where you want to be.
Sound familiar?
The problem is nothing to do with your ambition or motivation. In fact, I’m sure you have tons of these wonderful elements! The real obstacle is no accountability.
In this post, I’m going to show you why self-discipline is not enough and how accountability can help you fix that broken bridge between setting your goals and achieving them.
Table of Contents
Why Your Self-Discipline is Not Enough
We’ve been led to believe that our success is all about having willpower.
The truth is, when you rely solely on our willpower, you are setting yourself up for failure. Why does this happen?
There are three main things going on here:
- Your life is constantly changing every day. You can detail the best plans, but when life gets busy, it’s easy to lose focus.
- Without external accountability it can be hard to stay consistent. You must push yourself and some days you might not feel like it.
- At times, things can feel really tough, and this can affect your motivation to keep going.
How Accountability Changes Everything for Goals
So why does accountability make a difference?
Well, accountability gives you structure and the support you need to keep yourself on track to reach your goals. It helps you in these areas:
- It makes sure that you follow through even when you have super tough days
- It helps you to identify and overcome obstacles that are in your way
- You can stay motivated as you start celebrating wins and you can adjust your plans if you need to
Fixing the Accountability Gap to Achieve Your Goals
Here are three things you can do to add accountability to your goal-setting process:
Find an Accountability Partner
When you have an accountability partner you can share your goals with someone who will check in regularly and hold you to your commitments. It could be a good friend, a family member or a work colleague.
Use Tracking Tools
There are some amazing tools that can help you track your progress and help you stay motivated. Asana, Monday, and Trello are all great tools that can help you. I’ve worked with all three. You can try each one to see what feels right for you.
Work With a Coach
A coach can give you personalised support as you work towards your goals. Coaches can give you strategies and use accountability to help you succeed. A support mechanism like this can help you move towards your goals in a realistic and achievable way.
Next Steps for Your Goals
Accountability is the missing ingredient that is hindering most goal-setters. It can help you turn your plans into action and then the action can turn into success.
If you’re ready to take your goals seriously, let’s talk! My coaching designed to help you stay focused, consistent and successful. 🙂
Book a free consultation today and start seeing results!
Sally Leslie is the founder of The Leslie Link. She speaks, runs workshops, and coaches leaders and senior professionals, helping them build the emotional intelligence, meditation practice, and resilience. She’s the author of Think Clearly. Lead Calmly. A Guide for Leaders Under Pressure. Based between Newcastle, UK and Mallorca, Spain. Sign up to her Calm Leadership newsletter.
