#31DayReset Day 11: Find an Accountability Partner

This post is Day 11 of the 31 Days to Reset Your Life Challenge for 2011. Learn more and sign up for the program here.

Yesterday, you took inspired action by doing one thing to get to closer to your ideal life. Today, you’re going to take that concept a step further and build in some accountability for your long-term, sustained progress. Today, you’re going to find an accountability partner.

For me, my mom is the ultimate accountability partner in helping me get to the next level in my business. We talk almost every day and she knows how to ask me the tough questions about how I’m spending my time and reminding me of the goals I set out to accomplish this year. Of course, it helps that my mom is an entrepreneur herself, with a business that’s already earning six figures, which is where I want to be! I’m able to get so much more done knowing that she’s going to ask me about my progress on a regular basis.

Estimated Time to Complete: Varies

Today’s assignment is to find an accountability partner – someone who can hold you responsible for your own success and progress in pursuing your ideal life.

What is an accountability partner?

  • a friend, family member, co-worker, mentor, coach or someone else you can trust to help you keep a commitment
  • someone on the same path as you or simply willing to help you in your specific journey
  • someone who can help you stay on track toward reaching your goals
  • someone who stands firm and won’t let you get away with making excuses or procrastinating
  • someone who will ask you all those difficult questions we tend to avoid

It’s so important to have someone – paid or otherwise – to help keep you on track with your goals in life and business. It’s so easy for a year, five years, or even 10 years to go by and you still up there talking about how you’re “trying” to start a business, lose weight, get back into the dating game, etc.

There’s nothing wrong with asking or even paying someone to help you. It just means that you’re serious about your goals. And if you’re really serious about changing your life, wouldn’t you WANT someone to make sure you keep moving forward? Otherwise, it many never happen for you!

How to find an accountability partner:

  • Ask a trusted friend, family member, co-worker, or mentor to help you. Make an ongoing weekly or monthly appointment to share a “progress report” by phone or in person.
  • Hire a coach. The benefit of a coach is that she will be objective in helping you reach your goal, whereas sometimes our loved ones can have ulterior motives in the advice they give. It’s not on purpose or in any kind of malicious way, it’s just that they typically want what they think is “best” for you.
  • Seek out online communities where there are people who have the same interests and goals as you. You want to surround yourself with other people who are making positive changes in their lives, because they will be more likely to want to help you do the same thing. Personal growth is contagious! A great online community for black women entrepreneurs is Black Business Women Online, which is run by the fabulous LaShanda Henry aka Sistasense.

Take Action and Reflect: When you’ve secured your accountability partner, tell us who you chose and in the comments! If you already have an accountability partner, how did you find them? If you blogged about today’s assignment, please post the link in the comments so we can read it!
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25 comments

  1. Wow a lot of people chose their boyfriends as accountability partners. Mine also wants the best for me and pushes me. But I am afraid I will snap on him. We just started living together. Therefore I chose my best friend. She currently lives in Germany but we Skype and e-mail on a consistent basis.

  2. I would have to say that I have two accountability partners for two different areas in my life: my first is my boyfriend of six years who has encouraged me, listens to me, gives my feedback that I dont sometimes like, but in the end I know that he only wants me to have the life that I want. My second one is a stylist I meet backstage at a local fashion show who has taken me under her wing to show me the ropes but also challenges me creativity!

    • I can relate to your accountability partner because my boyfriend of six years is the same way with me, he fuels my dreams even when I dont want to fuel them for myself!! Stay encouraged and connected in your goals and GOD!!! Good luck!!

  4. I think my accountabili-buddy will be my best friend Mark. We already talk just about every day and push each other to accomplish our goals anyway.

  8. For the first time I honestly don’t have an answer to this one. I have thought about finding a mentor in my field of choice and having them be my accountability partner but I have not formed that relationship yet. Another thing I have thought about is joining a group of others with a similar personality- INFP. We have our own struggles and can certainly understand eachother more. I am sure there are online groups, discussion boards, etc. Or I can even create my own group locally and support eachother.

  9. My accountability partner is my father. He always ask me questions about what I’m doing and what do I want to do and how I will be achieving that goal. He is the best accountability partner for me, especially with me being away from home at school.

    • My accountability partner is one of my dearest sister-friends. We have actually had a conversation about this. We agreed to officially designating each other accountability partners. She constantly challenges me and supports me through my journey of living the life that I want. She always speaks to me from a place of truth and is always willing to brainstorm ideas of how I can work through an issue or achieve one of my goals. I’ve tried to always do the same for her, so it feels like a good fit
      :)

  10. This one is a hard one for me. I dont exactly have a best friend and in most of my friendships (as mentioned earlier) I am the glue… Im the accountability partner. So, I will think long and hard on this and think about the pros and cons of who I might be able to choose.

    Today might be the hardest day for me.

    • I feel the exact same way. This challenge almost made me come to standstill on this but I will admit to the same. I don’t know who this will be.

  12. I chose my friend and photo collective partner Kameelah. She is also a photographer and an excellent writer and she keeps me on track. If I say I’m going to send her something or apply for an exhibit or other arts opportunity, she definitely emails me, texts me and calls me out on Twitter if I miss deadlines. :)

    She’s awesome.

  13. Pingback: #31DayReset Day 22: Plan Your Reset Project | Happy Black Woman | Personal Development for Success in Life + Business

  15. My accountability team consists of my mastermind group members. Our mastermind group formed in January 2011. We consistently have conference calls once a week to discuss our progress towards our achieving our goals. I’m really excited to have such an amazing group of women ready to change their lives and the lives of others.
    Read my latest blog post…In Case You Missed It: The Week of August 8th, 2011

  16. Pingback: #31DayReset Day 14: Catch Up, Reflect, Comment | Happy Black Woman | Personal Development for Success in Life + Business

  17. I have three accountability partners, my mom, and two of my best friends. My mom is pretty much a you can do whatever you set your mind to type of person, she always says just do it & quit talking about it. She is a constant encourager and motivator. She doesn’t listen to my negative rants and never says anything but uplifting words to me. I’ll admit that when I was deeply depressed and unemployed her sunny disposition didn’t always go over well with me but now I appreciate it (I appreciated it back then but I was just too ornery. I’m such a Capricorn (stubborn goat). LOL!

    My two best friends are always in my corner and they are both very honest with me. They are both great supporters and motivators. I truly appreciate having these people in my life.
    Read my latest blog post…The Dyson Technology Experience: Keep Cool In Style!

  20. I chose a really good friend of mind who has already acts as my accountability partner. This friend constantly reminds me of goals I’ve set, encourages, and motivates me daily. My accountability partner is very honest with me and always lets me know plans and ideas are nothing without active faith!

  21. I chose my best friend, Tyrone. He is straight forward to the point and holds no punches, all in a loving and caring way. He has my best interest at heart so he’s the perfect candidate!

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