What do yoga classes, running buddies, book clubs, 12-step programs, study groups, social media, and therapists all have in common?
They provide accountability.
And if you are like the majority of people on this planet, you operate better when you have some form of external accountability.
Accountability doesn’t mean pressure. It means support. It means reminders. It means structure. It means consistency.
It means someone has your back, and you have someone else’s back.
When your brain starts saying, “It’s okay if I blow today off,” or “I’ll start over Monday,” your accountability partner says:
You said this was important. You said this mattered to you. You said you would show up for you and for me. Let’s go.
Accountability works.
Book clubs keep people reading, study groups help students stay focused,12-step programs are built around check-ins, sponsors, and community, and sharing a goal on social media helps us because we know someone’s watching.
If you want to start walking/swimming/lifting/stretching/saving/organizing/writing/whatever consistently, get yourself an accountability partner.
- You can ask friends, coworkers, or family members.
- You can create a private group on Facebook.
- You can pay someone (a personal trainer, business mentor, tutor, etc.)
Just like finding the right doctor can take some time, so can finding the right accountability partner or group.
Figure out who and what works for you, and then stick with it.
Humans are social creatures. You were never meant to do it all by yourself.
If you want to go fast go alone; if you want to go far, go together.
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