Are you struggling to stay motivated, follow through with your plans or commit to the things that you know will be good for you? It might be time to look outside for the help you need!
“The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) did a study on accountability and found that you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you commit to someone. And if you have a specific accountability appointment with a person you’ve committed to, you will increase your chance of success by up to 95%.”
Sounds great, right?
By simply surrounding yourself with people on a similar mission as you are, you’ll increase your endurance, open yourself up to a broader view of things, and have a readily available source of goal-related support whenever you need it.
When looking for an accountability partner, it is important that you find someone you can relate with and have easy access to.
“Compared to mentorship–a more hierarchical relationship–a peer to peer relationship seems to be easier to organize, and it is a more effective tool for making progress towards a goal. Accountability partnerships work when they are a collaboration between two colleagues who like and respect one another–your partner is someone you trust, who will keep you honest and moving on a path you set for yourself,” writes author Leigh Stringer.
Here are a few points to consider while trying to find a reliable partner to keep you accountable, cheer you on, and offer a different perspective whenever you need it.
How to choose an accountability partner
- Be clear about your goals. The first thing that you need to know is exactly what you’re trying to achieve. Having an accountability partner will do you no good if you keep switching from one goal to the next before completion. It is important to decide what you’re working towards, break down the larger goal into smaller tasks you can execute, figure out how you’ll measure your progress, and then when you’re ready, you can present your plan to a partner who will have a clear picture of what you’re working towards, and use that to guide and support you on your mission.
- Find someone you admire and respect, whose opinion you trust wholeheartedly. You will constantly be hearing their feedback on your work and progress, and you need to know that it’s all aimed at helping you achieve your goals in the long run. It also helps to work with someone whose qualities complement yours. Someone who sees the world in a different way than you do, to offer a fresh perspective and a new take on things when you feel stuck.
- Commit to regular check-ins. For the arrangement to work, you will have to continually report back to each other, to review your progress and figure out a way forward. The scheduled check-ins will also act as a deadline for you, so you’ll be motivated to complete your pre-determined tasks for a particular time period.
Working towards important life goals can be tough, but you do not have to do it alone.
SOURCES:
https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/what-beats-a-mentor-an-accountability-partner.html