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The What, Why, How & Where of Finding an Accountability Partner
Here's Your Ultimate Guide to Finding an Accountability Partner
By Chai Bade • March 29, 2024
We all have dreams, ambitions and goals but not all of us are successful in achieving them. And more often than not, it’s simply because we are unable to follow through.
How many times have you resolved to lose those extra few kilos without actually doing anything about it? How often have you made an impeccable to-do list, only to be so overwhelmed that you end up doing nothing? Most of us don’t even last a week in following through with our New Year’s resolutions.
From the lack of time management skills and motivation to procrastination and decision fatigue, there are numerous reasons that prevent us from following through with our goals. However, irrespective of the reason, having an accountability partner can do wonders.
What is an Accountability Partner?
Imagine trying a new workout routine alone. It’s easy to skip a session here and there, right? But if you have a friend meeting you at the gym every day? You are suddenly much more likely to complete your workout routines. That’s the power of an accountability partner!
Simply put, an accountability partner is someone who holds you to your commitments, keeps you focused on your goals, and provides support and encouragement along the way. You can think of them as your partner in the battle against self-doubt, procrastination and missed deadlines. They will not only celebrate your victories with you but also gently nudge you back on track if you stumble.
Here’s what an Accountability Partner does:
- Regular check-ins: They’ll hold you accountable by regularly asking about your progress.
- Offer support and encouragement: When you’re feeling discouraged, they’ll be your source of motivation and positive vibes.
- Celebrate your wins (big and small!): They’ll be just as excited as you are when you reach milestones, keeping you pumped.
- Offer a listening ear: Sometimes, just talking about your struggles can be a huge help. They’ll be there to listen without judgment.
- Give gentle nudges: If you’re slipping, they’ll remind you of your goals and gently push you back on track.
Why Do You Need One?
Sometimes, internal motivation just isn’t enough and you might need some help from others. Here are a few reasons you should consider finding an accountability partner.
1. For that Extra Boost: We all have moments where our motivation takes a nosedive. In such situations, being reminded of your “why” and reigniting your passion for your goals can be just the boost you need. And that’s exactly what an accountability partner can do for you.
2. To Bring Back Your Focus: Life can throw you curveballs at any moment and scatter your focus altogether. But if you have an accountability partner, they can be your voice of reason and remind of you what’s important.
3. For Celebrating Victories: Celebrating milestones, no matter how small, is one of the best ways to stay motivated. Yet, in our relentless pursuit of our goals, we often forget to celebrate the small wins. That’s where an accountability partner comes into the picture. They celebrate your wins with you, keeping the positive momentum going.
4. For that Supportive Nudge: Sometimes even the smallest roadblocks have the power to take you completely off-course. At such a time, an accountability partner works as your sounding board, offering support, advice or even a different perspective to help you overcome challenges.
5. To Strengthen Your Commitment: Knowing that you are not alone and someone else is invested in your success can make you strive harder to achieve your goals.
Who Can Be Your Accountability Partner?
Your accountability partner can be a friend, a peer or an absolute stranger. Irrespective of who they are to you, here are the things you need to consider before assigning this role to anyone:
- Trustworthiness: This person needs to be someone you can trust and feel comfortable confiding in and being honest with.
- Reliability: They should be someone who can show up for you, both literally and figuratively.
- Compatibility: It’s pretty obvious that for this arrangement to work, you need someone who understands your goals, and challenges and shares your values. Like any other partnership, being compatible with each other is the absolute key to success.
- Communication: There has to be an open and honest conversation. You need to be able to share your struggles and success with them and they need to be able to understand you.
- Positivity: They should have a positive outlook, it should be someone who can help you on the brighter side, no matter how dark it gets.
- Goal-oriented: Ideally, they should also be someone who values goal setting and understands the importance of following through.
- Similar Schedules: It would be better if you could find someone with a similar schedule who can check in with you regularly.
How to Find the Right Person for the Job?
Now that you know what, who and why, the next obvious question is how. How do you find someone who is right for you? So, here’s what you can do:
Step 1: Clearly Define Your Goals
First and foremost, you need to be absolutely clear what what you are hoping to achieve from this partnership. Here are some things you might want to consider.
1. What is your goal? When you are crystal clear about your goals, it becomes easier to find someone who understands your journey.
2. What kind of support are you looking for? Do you need someone who will hold you accountable with tough love, or are you looking for a more empathetic cheerleader?
3. How often do you want to check in? Knowing your preferred communication frequency will help you find someone with a similar schedule.
Step 2: Explore Your Options
Now that you know what you want, you need to know who can help you achieve that. It could be a friend or a family member who brings positive vibes and always motivates you or a perfect stranger who shares your goals and values. There are a lot of online platforms, forums, and social media groups that can help you find an accountability partner.
Step 3: Assess Compatibility
Once you’ve identified some potential partners, take some time to discover if they are the right choice for the task at hand. Here are some questions to ask yourself.
1. Do they understand your goals and do their values and goals align with yours?
2. Do you feel comfortable having an honest conversation with them about your goals and challenges?
3. Can you trust them to keep you on track?
Step 4: Have the “Accountability Talk”
When you find someone who fits the bill, try to establish a mutual ground. Have an honest conversation with them about what your goals are and the kind of support you want from them. Discuss whether you want to meet them in person or virtually and how often would you like them to check up on you. Discuss how you’ll handle situations where one person falls short of their goals.
Step 5: Make it Official!
Once both of you are on the same page about everything, it’s time to make it official and start working towards achieving your goal.
Where to Look for An Accountability Partner?
The last and one of the most crucial pieces of this puzzle is to know where to find yourself an accountability partner.
- Inner Circle: Your inner circle is the best place to start from. Look for a friend or family who is willing and able to become your partner in this journey. As there’s an already established level of trust and compatibility, friends and family or even co-workers could prove to be great accountability partners.
- Social Media and Forums: It’s not always possible or even feasible for your friends and family to become your accountability partners, that’s where the countless online forums and social media apps come into play. You can join these online communities to find someone there who shares your aspirations and wants to partner up.
- Online Platforms: Another great place to find someone to hold you accountable would be platforms like Bunchups. The platform is specifically designed to help you connect with people who share your passions, enthusiasm and your schedule.
An accountability partner isn’t a mythical creature or a magic wand that can miraculously solve all your issues. However, they are the person who will dust you and help you stand up again every time you stumble. They are someone who will stay by your side, cheer you on and guide you throughout your pursuit of a goal.
And you will be surprised to know how much a person can accomplish just by having the right person on their side. So, what are you waiting for? Hop on to Bunchups to find your partner in progress and start crushing those goals!
