7 Ideas for Accountability and Motivation
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Staying motivated is one of the most important factors in achieving your goals — no matter what type of goals they are. Finding ways to hold yourself accountable is a must if you want to be successful. There are many ways to do that, but not every way is right for everyone. You’ll have to find out what works best for you, and then use those to help you reach your goals.
Below there are 7 ideas for ways to hold yourself accountable so that you can stay motivated and achieve your goals.
1) Track your goals
Tracking your goals is one way you can hold yourself accountable. There are several ways to track your goals, so you’ll have to find what works best for you.
- You can list simple goals and then mark them out as you complete them, but that doesn’t work for more complex goals or goals that take more than a few days complete.
- Breaking up goals and tracking them in a spreadsheet is a good way to keep track of your goals.
- Keeping a journal is also a good way to track your progress.
- Marking days of a new habit on a calendar can be helpful in tracking your progress toward a new habit or goal.
- Some people even like tracking goals on a large poster because it’s right there all the time.
Any of these ways are great ways to track your goals.
2) Use benchmarks
If you’re going to track goals with multiple steps or goals that take an extended amount of time to complete, it’s important to break the goal up into smaller steps. Use each step as a benchmark, or group smaller steps together to create them. Benchmarks make it easier to track progress without getting overwhelmed, and that will help you maintain your motivation.
3) Reward yourself
Rewards are a good way to keep your motivation up while working toward achieving your goals. You can work toward a large reward once you meet your goal, but giving yourself a small reward for reaching each benchmark is a better way to keep your motivation high. You can still give yourself a large reward once you reach your goal.
4) Use visual reminders
Visual reminders are key for some people, especially those who are visual learners. Visual reminders can be a simple sticky note with your goal written on it or an image that reminds you of your goal. They can also be more complex like a large poster with an intricate vision board or a goal planning note book that includes smaller vision boards for each goal. Just make sure it’s something that speaks to you.
5) Find an accountability partner
An accountability partner can be a friend, colleague, spouse, or other trusted family member. It should be someone that can cheer you on but can also let you know when you need to do something different or refocus your attention. Make sure to check in often with your accountability partner.
6) Schedule accountability check-ins
Schedule regular check-ins with your accountability partner if you’re using one. If you choose not to use an accountability partner, schedule regular check-ins with yourself so that you can monitor your progress. Be honest with yourself during these check-ins so that you can make adjustments as needed.
7) Make adjustments
Make adjustments as needed. If you find something’s not working, figure out a way to do it better, and adjust your plan. Success takes work, and knowing when to adjust is important.
Try several of these methods of accountability and see what works best for you. You may already have an idea of which ones to try first, but you may just need to explore them to find something that works. Just be willing to adjust your strategy if something’s not helping you maintain your motivation.
For a more in-depth look at achieving your goals, here is a book called Crush Your Goals from my Shop at Life: The Reboot. There is also a Crush My Goals Journal on Amazon.
Loving Life–The Reboot!
Dominique
30 Comments
Joan
I am all good with tracking and benchmarks but where I fail is when I have no one to be accountable to so a partner is a very good idea. Thank you for these.
Dominique
The partner is key for me. Otherwise, I will not have anyone to check me when I am not doing what I need to do! Have a good one!
Amber Myers
These are some great ideas. I do need to start writing down my goals so I can keep track of them all.
Dominique
That is important, isn’t it? LOL GOod luck with that and have a great day!
Tara Pittman
I need to start rewarding myself. That may help me be more productive at work.
Dominique
It’s very helpful to reward yourself! You earned it! Have a good one!
Sarah Bailey
These are some great ideas to try and bring both motivation and accountability into your everyday life when it comes to goals. I should really find a way to track mine to keep up with how I am doing.
Dominique
Writing them down in a journal or even a notebook can help. You could create something in Excel so you can track your process too. It’s fun to experiment! Have a great day!
Jess
I believe it is extremely important to enjoy the rewards! With out taking a second to really admire yourself for where you are you will form a routine and become bitter! We have got recognize the positive aspect we bring.
Dominique
We definitely have to appreciate who we are and what we accomplish! Thanks for reading!
matthew
These are some nice ideas to incorporate. I love the fact that you mention (7) “to make adjustment”. Once goals are set and not yielding result, it is best to make an adjustment. Great read.
Dominique
Yeah. Sometimes we get stuck trying to make something work instead of adjusting as needed! Thanks for reading!
Heather
These are all great tips! I definitely need to use them more, specifically rewarding myself. I am too hard on myself for not accomplishing more.
Dominique
We do have really high expectations for ourselves, don’t we? Thanks for reading!
Claire Lee
I love these! So realistic and helpful. I am a visual person and visual reminders on my planner really help. Thanks for sharing!
Dominique
It’s cool that you use a planner and visual reminders! I am trying to adapt to using more visual reminders myself! Thanks for reading!
Cynthia Nicoletti
Such great ideas you list. Tracking goals is the best idea and works for me.
Dominique
Thank you so much! Have a lovely day!
claire talks beauty
i like the idea of finding an accountability partner! it helps so much ! i am also trying to use benchmarks more often this year!
Dominique
A friend who reminds you when you are slacking off? Perfect, right? THanks for reading!
Swathi
Yes goal and mission is first needed then stay on the task and complete, thanks for sharing this great post.
Dominique
Thank you for your kind words! I hope you have a lovely day!
Ruth I
Yes to all of these! I find having an accountability partner more amazing because we get support that we need so we can truly reach our goal.
Dominique
I love hearing about other people’s experience with accountability partners and other things in my posts! Have a fabulous day!
Bindu Thomas
These are some great ideas for accountability and stay motivated. Finding an accountability partner sounds interesting.
Dominique
Thank you! Have a lovely day!
Sundeep
This is so amazing write up. I would love to reward myself whenever I achieve my goals. Thanks for sharing wonderful article
Dominique
Thank you for reading!
Kayla
I think rewarding youre of is crucial. So,times we can be way to hard on ourselves, we deserve a little reward for all our hard work.
Dominique
Very true. I have started paying attention to that — I buy things for my kids but not always for me for doing well. No more! Have a lovely day and thanks for reading!