In part 1 of this series on goals, I talked about the two types of motivation: intrinsic vs. extrinsic, and why we need both.
In this section, I’m going to address another often overlooked aspect of goal achievement – support & accountability.
There’s an old African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Accomplishing your goals is likely not going to be fast. It’s going to take time, perseverance, and hard work. This is where support comes in.
You need someone (or a group of people) in your corner – encouraging you, reminding you of your why, and celebrating your progress.
Write It Down
Studies suggest that by writing down your goals your likelihood of accomplishing them increases by forty two percent. 42%! That’s amazing.
Now combine that fact with the act of having someone to help you along on your journey, and you are well on your way to reaching those goals. Some studies even suggest that you are 95% more likely to complete a goal with accountability!
Accountability helps you think through any potential pitfalls in your journey. For me, talking through my goals and my plans to achieve them with someone else always brings up unforeseen issues and things I hadn’t thought about yet.
Once they have been brought to life, I have a trusted partner to help me troubleshoot.
Find Your Tribe
Maybe you have a friend or family member who serves as your accountability partner. Or maybe you’re not sure who will hold you accountable for your goals, but you want to find someone.
Finding a tribe or community can be the answer to your accountability needs. There’s many places you can look for this. It might be a neighbor, a church, a micro-gym, or something else.
Regardless of where you find it, your goal is to surround yourself with like-minded people. Just showing up and being near the community adds accountability to your life. When people expect you to show up, they miss you when you’re not there. They reach out to you to find out where you are, and when you’ll be back.
And that’s something you can’t find anywhere else.
Goal Setting 101: Start With Why