Achieving Goals with an Accountability Partner
It’s the start of a brand new month and I want to check in with you about those New Years goals you made for yourself back in the beginning of January. How are they going? Are you still on track or have you abandoned ship? Either way is totally fine, there’s no judgment here! Making new habits or changing old ones is hard to do. On average, it takes about 66 days to form a new habit, but this number can be more or less depending on the person. But there’s a trick that might help you stay on track with your goals: team up with someone else.
Working towards something brand new and potentially life-changing all by yourself can be really difficult. Without support and encouragement it is easier to give up on your goals because it’s like no one else is watching. The reason teaming up with others to reach a goal works so well is because of the accountability piece. The feeling of “we’re all in this together” gives a sense of camaraderie and an extra layer of support when you’re trying to reach your goals over time.
You might be wondering who you can ask for help with reaching your goals. Any person you know personally or even peripherally can join you on your journey. This could be a friend, family member, coworker, or even someone in an online group you’re a part of. The most important thing in selecting your teammate is you want to make sure they have the same or very similar goals in mind. For example, if your goal is to start swimming every morning before work, you want someone who will either be coming with you to the pool or going to a different pool at the same time as you. You want to be on an even level before setting off so you can bounce the positivity of your accomplishments off of each other.
Once you’ve decided who you want to team up with, talk about your goals together and decide how you’re going to stay accountable to each other. This could be a daily text to check in. You could start a shared photo album with pictures of your meals if your goals are nutrition-based. You could set aside time to go for a walk together once a week. However you decide to stay accountable with each other is awesome, just make sure that you follow through.
Just like with any relationship, being a part of someone’s team is going to require effort, communication, and time. You’ll only get as much out of it as you put in. Be honest with yourself and your teammate about any limitations you may have or when you’re struggling. The benefit of a support person is they will be there to pick you up and encourage you along the way.
