How to Stay Accountable to Your Goals

Jul 5

We are officially halfway through the year! During this time of year, we tend to look back over our original goals for the year and start falling into a shame spiral about everything we haven’t gotten done. We said we were going to post on social media every day, and start that podcast, and raise our rates, and… and… and…. The reality is that without systems that support us in holding ourselves accountable to our goals, it’s almost impossible to get anything done. Life happens, and it’s always going to be easier to stay in your comfortable patterns than to start something new and go for your goals. If you never try, you never fail. However, if you never try, you’ll never know what is possible for you. So, let’s talk about how to create systems of accountability so you can stay on track with your goals through the end of this year and beyond!

One - Clarify your priorities

It can often feel like there are a million things we need to be doing better, and we need to be doing them NOW. The best way to get nothing done is to half-do a million things. Instead, put all your energy into a few important goals, and ditch the rest. If your main goal is to get more eyes on your business, your actions will look very different than if your main goal is getting your back-end systems in order. Take a moment to create 1-3 main priorities as we close out the year. Look at anything you spend your time on and assess if it’s related to these priorities. If not, get comfy with moving them to the bottom of your to-do list or delegating them to someone else!

Two - Get honest about your timeline

There’s nothing more discouraging than overcommitting yourself and repeatedly falling short. It’s always better to underpromise and over deliver even when it comes to yourself. To build more confidence and momentum, give yourself one small task you can easily accomplish that brings you closer to your goal every week. Give yourself double the time you think it’ll take so you have plenty of time to make revisions and still finish the task when unexpected circumstances arise. It’s better to be honest about your capacity & proud of your accomplishments than stuck in a shame spiral after failing to meet your unrealistic expectations.

Three - Work with your patterns

I find that we often feel shame or frustration around our true workstyle and patterns. You may feel like you’re too much of a people-pleaser or procrastinator. But when we work with our work patterns we can actually accomplish a lot more. If you’re a people pleaser, make sure to make a promise to someone you don’t want to disappoint that you’ll complete a task. If you’re a procrastinator, create firm due dates and block off the day before it’s due to actually work on the task. Whatever it is that you need, don’t pretend that you’ll magically change your ways and build out a plan that works for you.

Four - Find your carrot and stick

Do not underestimate the power of rewards and punishments. Once you’ve got your timeline built out, the last step is figuring out how you’re going to celebrate accomplishing your goal! Schedule something to look forward to at the end of a bit project. This could be a nice dinner, a massage, a vacation, or an online shopping session; whatever gets you most excited and wont break the bank, do that. Now, figure out a punishment if you don’t complete the task by the deadline. By keeping this carrot and stick in mind, you’ll keep your motivation alive when the going gets tough.

Five - Stay adaptable

No matter what, life will always keep life-ing. Your kid will get sick, the wifi will crap out, a work emergency will come up, etc. The most important key to staying on track with your goals is allowing yourself to make mistakes and not get discouraged. Cultivating a sense of self-compassion and willingness to adjust the plan will allow you to get back on track when you get derailed. Nothing will ever be perfect, but as long as you keep showing up, you will make progress. I promise.

Before you forget, take a moment to re-map the rest of your year, find your system for accountability, and go for it! It’s never too late to get back on track. Once you’re done, DM me on IG to let me know what your number one goal is this summer as an extra boost of accountability!

Are you still struggling to build systems that support you in accomplishing your goals? Book a Systems Strategy Session where we can create your roadmap and give you all the tools needed to finish the year strong!