8 Ways To Stay Accountable with Your Goals

As a goal orientated person, at the beginning of each month I spend time writing down goals that I wish to accomplish within a defined period. Then at the end of each month, I dedicate as much time reviewing the goals to ensure I am still on track. Like most people, I am a big dreamer {it is in the name} but struggle with being able to stay accountable with your goals. But we all know that dreaming alone is not enough to achieve our goals, It is important to stay accountable with your goals. 

Goal accountability means taking responsibility but this is only as good as the goals that have been set. When setting goals, it is important to have clear, conscious and defined goals, this makes it easier to stay accountable. Often people ask me why I share my personal goals, the simple answer is, this is my way of staying accountable. It’s not always easy but there are simple ways to follow in order to stay accountable with your goals. Below I have compiled 8 simple ways to stay accountable with your goals and shared some examples.

8 WAYS TO STAY ACCOUNTABLE WITH YOUR GOALS

Why do people set goals? Why should you set goals in your life? These are some common questions that people often ask others and themselves. Personally, I set goals because it helps me plan my future and reminds me to stay focused on the bigger picture. This is why I think it is important to stay accountable with your goals as accountability helps me stay on track to achieving my goals. Others set goals because they have specific dreams they want realised and setting goals allows them to follow a certain plan.

Our current generation is lucky in that we live in a technologically advanced era where we can access information at the tip of our hands. There are many articles, magazines and even books dedicated to helping people stay accountable with their goals. The few tips I am sharing in this post are some of the ways that you can stay accountable with your goals. Over the last couple of years, this is how I stay take responsibility for the goals that I set.

Be Honest and Be Realistic

I am a dreamer by nature but I am also a to-do list focused person, these two often collide when it comes to goal setting. Over the last few years I have learned that if I am honest and realistic about my goals, I am one step closer to accomplishing them. When setting goals, do not just shoot in the dark and hope for the best because this rarely ever work. Remember, whatever goals you set, you will have to put in the work to ensure they are accomplished in the chosen timeframe. 

Example: At the beginning of the year I set goals to the effect of ‘…earn £500 a month from the blog’, this was based of precious six months earnings and rounded off. This was me being honest but sometimes reality can be a little different but I still strive for that goal.

Set Specific Goals

This ties in well with being honest and realistic about the goals that you set, you want to be specific. There is nothing worse than a vague goal, vague goals are not measurable therefore it is hard to stay accountable to a fluctuating goal. An example of a specific goal I set was to the effect of ‘… save 50% of the monthly blog earnings’, this goal is very specific, it doesn’t matter what I earn, 50% should be saved.

Track Goals Regularly

I am a strong believer in tracking goals regularly not only does it keep you aware of your progress but it also allows you to celebrate small win. For most tracking goals can act as motivator to ensure that they accomplish their goals or a chance to re-strategise. Every month I share monthly goals, this allows me an opportunity to review previous goals and plan accordingly. 

Set Up A Reward System

Like most people I often work harder when there is a reward to be hard at the end of it all. When I set goals I also set equally worthy rewards, if I accomplish a goal in a period that I defined then I reward myself a flight. Because I love to travel, I reward system is fair but it also means I am more focused on my goals to ensure I can get the reward. 

Commit to a Schedule

Whenever I set goals, I ensure to stick the the schedule, that way it is easier to track the progress and how much work I need to put in. Whilst not all goals need a schedule, most goals do, it makes it easier to plan things that support the accomplishment of the said goal.

Have the right mindset

Anyone can write goals, but not everything accomplishes their goals because not everyone has the right mindset. Everyone lives such busy lives that at times it’s difficult to plan time to accomplish your goals but the with the right mindset it can still be done. We all have different priorities in life and our goals should be reflective on that hence why it is important to have the correct mindset when setting goals.

Write Goals Down

This might seem intuitive but unfortunately, it is not, at least not for everyone. There are some many people who have a million and 1 ideas buzzing in their heads but more often than not, they don’t write them down. These days you don’t have to rely on the paper alone, there are other ways to write goals down.

Manage your time well

It is still shocking to me to see people in workplaces who still struggle with time management, an important life skill. When you have a goal or deadlines, time management skills play an important role in how well you deliver on your deadlines. Every month end I make time to review my goals, track progress and allocate necessary time to accomplishing other goals.

There are several ways to stay accountable with your goals, it all depends on your priorities and your appetite to accomplish your goals.