The 5 Secrets To Staying Accountable When Working Toward Your Goals

We are so quick to do the things other people ask us, but when it comes to the things we’d like to get done for ourselves, we just can’t get them done. 

Your boss tells you to have that project done in a week, and 7 days later, it’s on her desk.

Yet that idea you told yourself you’d execute last month? 

You haven’t even started!

It’s not that you don’t care about it—you do. 

The problem here is lack of accountability. 

If you don’t get that project done within the deadline, you’ll be answering to your boss. You’ll stand in front of her with a downcast head as she chastises your negligence.  

But who are you answering to when it comes to your own goals? 

No one. 

You are responsible for those goals. If you don’t do it, you won’t get punished. You go easy on yourself. You give yourself another chance and another and then one more. 

You accept the same excuses over and over again, and you achieve nothing. 

[easy-tweet tweet=”When you’re accountable, you realize that you are responsible for your actions and that only you can create your dream life. You learn how to keep yourself on track and monitor your progress.” user=”shutupachieve” url=”https://rebrand.ly/accountability-secrets” template=”light”]

In other words, by being accountable you take control of your life—actions, outcomes, and all. 

1. Create Mini-Goals and Milestones

With no one holding you accountable, it’s easy to get sidetracked. You can think you’re making progress when, in reality, you’re really just wasting time. 

Being accountable means you direct your progress and ensure that you’re doing the important work.

Milestones, on the other hand, are points you are bound to cross when you’re working toward those mini-goals. Milestones are important because they tell you whether or not you’re headed in the right direction. 

Back to the self-published book example, your milestone would be to write the first 5 chapters. 

You can design the cover, re-plot the story, or whatever else you want to waste time on, but unless those 5 chapters get written, you’re going to have to admit to yourself that you’re not doing what you should be. 

2. Track and Review Your Progress Frequently

If you’re not checking in on yourself, you won’t realize how behind you are until it’s too late. 

Tracking your progress is imperative to keeping yourself accountable. 

You need to know what you’re doing, what you’re not, and whether or not you’re on the path toward your goals. 

I use the Habit Tracker 2.0 and Goal Tracker 2.0 to keep my tasks and progress organized.

At the end of each day, I review what I’ve accomplished and what I should get to the next. 

[easy-tweet tweet=”It’s hard to ignore your lack of progress when you are forced to record it every night.” user=”shutupachieve” hashtags=”progress, success” url=”https://shutupandachieve.com/accountability-secrets/” template=”light”]

3. Set Deadlines

Setting deadlines and putting them on your calendar gives you a sense of urgency. Your deadlines hover over you like a cloud, constantly reminding you of the work you need to get done. 

Your deadlines keep you accountable by pushing you to do the work that you would have otherwise procrastinated. 

Without a deadline, you can fool yourself and make excuses, telling yourself you’ll do it another day. With a deadline, you’re forced to make a schedule to make your goal happen.

4. Reward Yourself

Being accountable means reprimanding yourself when you’re not doing your best, but it also means you reward your achievements, as well. 

Rewarding yourself gives you a sense of accomplishment and renews your motivation, especially for work where there aren’t immediate benefits. 

5. Find an Accountability Buddy—Or Substitute With An Accountability Tool

If you have a friend that will help you stay accountable, that’s great. But truthfully, not everyone has someone like that. 

For those of you who don’t, here are two websites you can use to keep you accountable: