One Reader's Secret to Achieve Goals Successfully Using a Goal Buddy
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 5:00AMI recently wrote a post on How to Write Goals Using the SMART Method. I asked our readers to share tips on how they have successfully achieved and monitored their goals. Stacey of Total City Girl, added a great comment and I wanted to share it with all of you.
"One tip I have is to have a goal buddy - someone that you have to be accountable to. My friend and I are doing this for each other - we discuss our goals for the week at the beginning of each week and follow up on our progress as well. We found that it really keeps us in check. It could be so easy at times to be a slacker but it's even worse when you have to go back to your buddy and say you didn't do what you said you would!"
It would be great if we all were accountable to ourselves, but in reality most of us need to have some external motivation. Some goals are just harder to achieve if you keep them to yourself.
I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I committed to posting one post a day in the month of August. Sure I could have done this without the structure of the challenge. But if I was tired, not motivated or just too busy I would have quickly decided to not do one today.
Some of the most successful weight loss programs and stop smoking programs have an accountability component to it. So it makes sense to do this for your professional goals as well. Find someone that won’t let you off of the hook too easily. It is good to have someone that has similar goals.
If you can't find a friend or coworker, you may want to find a business coach or book coach. They are experts at helping you set up realistic goals and making sure you keep your momentum.
What goals do you have trouble sticking to?
Have you had a goal buddy?
How did it help or hinder your goal attainment?
Reader Comments (6)
Julia ~
Your post instantly reminded me of all the years my four daughters had "study buddies" in school. Studying for tests, in particular, turned into more of an enjoyable activity when they a classmate to study with.
Although I believe that motivation comes from within us, not from external sources, accountability partners can be the greatest form of inspiration to keep us on track and moving forward.
To take the concept of "goal buddy" even further, joining a mastermind group is a wonderful way to propel your success!
Melanie
Often referred to as "Accountability Partners" in the Internet Marketing world, they are great and best used as quick daily check ins. True, some people do weekly check ins but it's amazing how off track you can get in the course of a whole week.
Either way, I encourage people to try it!
Linette Daniels
http://TeachThemToThink.com
I absolutely agree with the power of a goal buddy, accountability partner, mastermind group . . . whatever form it takes. It's funny - - I just wrote a blog post today about the advantages of teamwork because I've been thinking about the value of the blog challenge, the power of my mastermind group and a new partnership I've just formed in business. Why do we think that we have to do it all alone? It's so much better to work with others! Great post!
Julia, you are so right. Accountability is so important. I need some more accountability partners or goal buddies for my other goals. It's been great for the Ultimate Blog Challenge and I am right on track. Now for the other big things in my business...
Daphne
The Ultimate Blog Challenge has been great for me too. I needed an extra push to motivate me to blog daily. I think when the challenge is over I will have formed a habit to blog.
thanks for visiting
I have a blog partner, which works out great. We check each others projects and encourage each other. We also have different talents, I know how to get in and look at code and she is a designer.
The thing we have to look out for is that we do not go into agreement on areas that keep us from moving forward.