Do you want to kill your procrastination? Are you struggling to build healthy habits and reach your goals? If yes, you need an accountability partner.
In this blog, we will shed light on finding an accountability partner to help you succeed.
Now, one question will undoubtedly pop into your mind – What is an accountability partner, and why should you need it in the first place?
Read on to get its answer.
But before that, answer the following questions honestly: Do you remember your last year’s resolution? Have you achieved it?
As per this study, only 25% of people remain committed to their new goals and resolutions after 30 days. And you will feel surprised, but only 8% of them can achieve it sustainably throughout the year.
One of the main reasons for this is a lack of accountability.
Therefore, if you prefer to avoid being part of this statistic, this blog is for you.
Table of Contents
Who’s an accountability partner?
An accountability partner is a person with whom you make an agreement to keep you accountable for your goal achievement or task completion.
Imagine you’re all set with your goal and have a solid plan of attack. However, you do not know how to hold yourself accountable to ensure you achieve your desired goal. Who will come to the rescue in such a situation?
Well, that’s where an accountability partner comes into the picture.
Working alone can be great, but it has 2 major drawbacks – lack of accountability, which can also lead to a lack of responsibility.
An accountability partner holds you responsible for reporting on whether you have completed a particular task you said you would do.
A true accountability partnership is mutual.
In exchange for your partner’s accountability, you hold them accountable for their goals too.
If you are not interested in keeping someone accountable in return, a coach or mentor might be the perfect fit for you than an accountability partner.
Internal & External Accountability
Internal accountability means remaining accountable to yourself. In such a type of accountability, you commit yourself to accomplish something. You will evaluate what’s important and plan the actions according to that to achieve your goal.
However, the sad reality is that we all lose our focus by being lazy or encountering obstacles along the journey toward our final destination. We blame other people or external events for failure instead of taking personal responsibility.
That’s where external accountability can come in handy.
In such a case, combining internal and external accountability can increase our chances of overcoming obstructions and achieving goals.
By finding an accountability partner to whom you have to report back, you can stay focused and take complete responsibility for whatever is happening in your life.
When your external accountability partner keeps track of your progress and cheers you along the way, there is a high chance that you’ll stick to what you commit and succeed!
If you are wondering how to find an accountability partner, you can take the help of a virtual accountability partner app or free accountability partner app which we have discussed later in the article.
Let’s cover the important details first.
Benefits of having an Accountability Partner
Let us look at the benefits now:
- An accountability partner forces you to stay committed to your goals when you lose focus.
- They can boost your productivity level immensely!
- An accountability partner can help you build new habits like diet, fitness training, parenting, relationships, self-help, budgeting, saving, meditation, parenting, home organization, writing, etc.
- They can also help you break bad habits.
- It offers an opportunity to mentor someone or get mentored.
- You learn about the other person’s same struggles, hopes, dreams, and goals.
- A chance to get valuable feedback, learn from your mistakes and improve your processes.
- You’ll no longer feel alone in your journey of improvement. You have someone who’s in your corner rooting for you to win!
- It’s a fun and interesting way to push your boundaries.
More benefits of having an accountability partner, you can find here.
At the same time, working with the wrong accountability partner has some drawbacks – especially if they impose their ideas on you and you both frequently have quarrels & disagreements.
So choosing a compatible partner is equally important.
Accountability Partner Checklist: What Qualities Should You Look For?
Finding the right accountability partner is vital. It is essential to understand that you do not want a partner who will bring you down, as this would make matters worse. Therefore, if you are confused about what qualities you should look for in an accountability partner, here is an accountability partner checklist.
1. Compatibility
Do you enjoy their company if you were left alone with this person? Do you like their jokes, their personality?
We often vibe with a few people more than others. So always choose partners whose presence makes you feel comfortable. Otherwise, how will you enjoy the journey?
2. Disciplined
Discipline is an essential factor that your accountability partner must have.
Sometimes when you feel down and need motivation, your accountability partner should be able to provide you with it. If your partner can give you that drive to bring you up, they are the right person for you, and your partnership will flourish.
It will help you avoid procrastination when it is time to act on your goals.
3. Mutual Value Exchange
An accountability partnership is a 2-way street. You both need to look after each other’s best interests. You hold them responsible while they do the same for you.
If they aren’t interested in seeing you grow, there’s no point in choosing them as your partner.
4. Trust
You’re sharing your journey, your struggles and your goals with them. So trust becomes a non-negotiable quality to have.
You need to ask the critical question: ‘How much can you trust them?’.
The more trust there is between you, the easier it is to understand each other and work towards a common goal!
5. Hunger for Growth
Your partner should be equally hungry for their growth just as you are. They should challenge you to work harder when it seems you are falling behind or starting to relax.
Knowing your limits and trying to push yourself forward is vital. If your partner follows the same ideology, it will greatly benefit both of you.
6. Motivator
During the improvement journey, there will be hard times. You’ll often feel like quitting. And it’s in these moments, your buddy needs to cheer you up. Having someone with an optimistic mindset is useful in such cases!
At the same time, they should acknowledge your small wins – for committing to your goals and every milestone you achieve. This helps you build more confidence and grow. And you need a buddy who’s invested in your growth!
7. Having your best intentions
If your accountability partner does not have the best intentions, it will adversely affect your goals, and your partnership will be negative. It will keep you away from your goals.
It is better not to have any partnership like this. Ensure you find a person who makes you better and more successful.
8. Can Give Constructive Criticism
Usually, this quality is ignored by most people. Your accountability partner must know how to give truthful feedback and beneficial criticism. They must know how to criticize without bringing down you.
Otherwise, it’s hard to grow if you don’t know what mistakes you’re making.
This is often where mentors with a lot of experience can be of great help!
Different Types Of Partners
If you are aware of various types of accountability partners, it will provide you with the freedom to find someone that will fit your preferences or specific goals.
1. A Counselor
A professional knows his stuff. They know how to guide and lead. Over the years, they’ve sharpened their skills.
Also, they can give accurate feedback and force you to stay accountable. For athletes, this is what their coaches do. A life coach, a therapist can be your accountability partners.
The only con of this is that hiring a professional is often a paid service. So you might need to shed some cash to work with them.
2. Senior With a Similar Journey
A senior is a person who’s just 2-3 steps ahead of you in their journey. So they can relate to your problems better.
They could be someone from your college or even someone who’s younger to you but has more experience in a certain area.
3. Colleague
A colleague who has the same goals as you can be the best accountability partner!
It’s very easy to relate to them. And if they’re as hungry as you and also looking for someone to hold them accountable, you can consider partnering with them.
However, people can often get envious seeing the growth of others. So make sure to choose your partner wisely!
4. Friend/Family Member
A close friend and family member is most likely to have your best interest in their mind. So it might be worth a shot partnering with them.
Responsibilities Of Accountability Partners
There are no hard and fast rules. But the following ones should give you a basic guideline:
- They give you good feedback.
- They motivate you when you don’t feel like doing your tasks.
- They force you to live up to higher standards.
As time passes, you realize that you and your accountability partner will create your own daily schedules and preferences as you get comfortable.
How to Find An Accountability Partner?
Here’s a simple framework you can use:
Step 1: Scout for the Right Candidate
Make sure your accountability partner checks all the important boxes! They should be compatible, look after your best interests, and match your level of hunger.
Choosing the wrong accountability can lead to stress and maybe even broken relationships. The right ones can fast-track your improvement.
Step 2: Talk to them about the partnership
Are they also looking for an accountability partner? Remember a partnership is a 2-way street and should provide equal value to both parties.
Communicate your needs and understand theirs also.
Step 3: Set goals and do a test run
Once you’ve communicated your needs, it’s time to set your first appointment. Set an online meeting or meet them in a coffee shop.
Treat your first meeting like a test. Evaluate whether they fit into the accountability checklist!
During the meeting, discuss your goals for the period and get to work.
For example, imagine that you both plan to write 4 articles weekly. Set this agenda and see if you both are able to achieve this goal.
Also, evaluate if you enjoyed working with them.
Step 4: Go forward only if things work out
Let them know if you feel something’s off or things don’t work out between you both. Then, go back to Step 1 and look for another partner.
If things go well, keep going!
Who could be your potential accountability partners?
They could be:
- Your spouse
- Siblings
- Friends
- Colleagues
- Parents
- Neighbors
- Cousins
- A Virtual Friend
Don’t you know anyone personally? It’s alright. There are many place that exist in the virtual world to find real people!
Finding an accountability partner online
Niche online for communities, forums, blogs or websites
These are some of the best places to start looking at.
Imagine you’re an online writer. You could go to writing communities, blogs, or websites.
Or maybe you play an individual sport like chess – scout an online forum, create an account and ask if there for training buddies.
Attend Virtual Events
If you happen to attend online webinars or are part of any membership community, that can be a good place to find an accountability partner.
I’ve attended such events and made training partners and friends along the way! I remember one time, I just message someone hi while the event was going on. This started a conversation, and eventually, we became accountability partners!
Apps
In today’s digital and social media-energized world, you can even find a buddy online.
Just check that you both are equally committed to your goals.
Here are some accountability partner apps you can choose from:
- StickK
- GoFuckingDoIt
- Beeminder
- Coach.me
- Focusmate
How to Make an Accountability Partnership Work?
Here are some tips you should keep in mind if you want your accountability partnership to work.
- Think twice before choosing your partner. You might work, laugh, and roam around each other all the time, but that does not mean you can expect them to push you and hold you accountable.
See if they match the qualities in the checklist.
- Give your accountability partner permission to push you. That’s where growth is. At the same time, ask for valuable feedback and improve your processes. This single act will shorten your growth curve exponentially!
- Set a platform, a regular time to connect, mark it on your calendar and fulfill your commitments.
Skype-calls?
How often will you meet?
Review your goals.
- Both of you certainly have an agenda that your partnership should work and benefit you. So, set a time and review the progress. It will give both of you a chance to analyze your progress and make the necessary adjustment.
- Be honest. I’m no saint and will admit that there have been times when I haven’t been honest with my partner. Eventually, we had to stop working.
Ensure you clearly state your aims, objectives, and expectations. And make sure you stay honest!
In the end, if the relationship doesn’t work, it’s alright to let go of your partnership. In that case, follow the tips mentioned below.
What To Do When the Partnership Doesn’t Work?
There could be endless reasons why an accountability partnership might not work.
At first, you need to communicate this to your buddy.
You and your buddy can meet, review what’s not working and fix the issue.
But if your partner ghosts you, then it might be time to look for someone more committed. In that case, you’ll need to start your search all over again!
Now, I’ll also answer some of your common questions.
FAQs
Yes. You can hire them. At the same time, you can also look for them in your close circle.
You can find such a coach online or offline. Coach.me is a great place to start your search from.
Yes, there are various apps to find accountability partners. They are StickK, GoFuckingDoIt, Beeminder, Coach.me., Focusmate.
Here are some apps to find a free online accountability partner Noom, FatSecret, WeightWatchers, MyFitnessPal. At the same time, you can also look for them in your circle of friends.
The main goal is to keep another person accountable in terms of helping them reach their goals. The term ‘accountability partner’ has become a buzzword and is widely used globally since the 1990s.
You can hire an accountability partner free if a person is someone from your family or friend. However, if you are searching for a skilled and seasoned partner, you can go for paid accountability partner option, which will cost you approx. $50 to $200 per week. However, the cost greatly depends on the level of care you select.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, an accountability partner can make you more productive and increase your chances of hitting your new year’s resolutions!
At the same time, having a healthy, fruitful relationship can do wonders to your mood!
I hope this guide has given you all that you need to keep in mind when it comes to finding an accountability partner.
You refer to it time and time again if you ever feel stuck somewhere. If you have any questions, write in the comment section below.
Hello! It’s Rana here. On this blog, I write about productivity and self-help. I share my personal experiences and offer solutions that you can use in your life 🙂
