Leverage Accountability to Achieve Goals

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
— T. S. Eliot

We all have goals. Either expressed in statements like “one day, I plan to …” or you actually have it written down as a goal, we all are working towards a dream.

Our goals are only as good as the action we put to support them. It is human nature to loose focus, cut corners and skip steps. However, these actions prevent us from achieving our goals and are avoidable. The magic component to stay on the path to success is accountability!

Accountability is easily accessible and comes in many forms! You can set up an accountability partner or a group of partners. The idea is to have someone keep you honest to your goals. Below are a few ideas and resources to find accountability partners:

1. Paid Coach – Connecting with coaches is easier than it has ever been, as many are available online with many tools for communication. There are coaches ranging from small to large budgets and communication ranging from daily to monthly. A few sources worth considering:
   1. Coach.me – For $15/mo, coach.me is a very affordable way to get immediate accountability. You select a coach that best meets your needs and get started right away.
   2. Tony Robbins Coaching– For a bit more premium cost, Tony Robbins Coaching starts with a DISC assessment. Then, aligns a coach and style what best supports your natural working working style.
   3. Nigel Cook – For a more personal approach to coaching, Nigel will work to review long term goals with you. Then follow-up every few days to ensure you are moving forward.
   4. EMyth Coaching– In connection with the popular business book, The EMyth, EMyth coaching appears to take an analytical approach to understanding your goals and steps to achieve them. I do not have personal experience with EMyth coaching, but it looks great!
2. Paid Mastermind – More than just group accountability, mastermind groups are usually groups of 8-10 individuals with shared interests in success. There are many mastermind groups in various industries and budgets.
   1. M1 by Rock Thomas – The M1 program helps you create a wealth and success mindset and creates opportunities for connections with high net worth individuals.
   2. Internet Business Mastery Mastermind – The guys at Internet Business Mastery provide great content on their podcast. I assume their mastermind would be great as well. I do not have personal experience with this mastermind, but is looks legit.
   3. Screw the 9 to 5 –  This group is run by a fun couple, Jill and Josh Stanton, that found success in affiliate marketing. I was a big fan of their podcast. I do not have personal experience with this mastermind, but is looks good.
   4. A longer list of mastermind groups from a blog I found. You may find a gem in this list.
3. Public – You can leverage the accountability of the general public. Facebook is an ideal platform for this. The concept is simple. You just make a public claim like “I will run a marathon in 6 months”. Then, periodically post on your progress.
4. A Few Other Ideas
   1. Meetup.com – Meetup.com is a bit more hit and miss. I once found a great real estate investing mastermind group on Meetup.com. So, it is worth a try.
   2. Start your own – If you can’t find a group, then start your own. Michael Hyatt has a great blog post about the topic of starting your own mastermind.

Much like my recent article about finding the right mentor, it is vital that you find the right accountability group that meets your budget, communication style and commitment.

Like launching a rocket , the majority of the effort is in the first stage – getting started! Today is the day. It’s time to get stop thinking about “one day” and get started today.