In today’s blog post, we move onto Step 3 in our goal setting process and learn how to make ourselves more accountable, the same way that top athletes do.
Step 3: Be Accountable
- Get support for your goals
- Hold yourself accountable
- Set a deadline to achieve each action plan
Get support for your goals
Ten years and 10,000 hours is a long time! Make sure you get lots of support around you to help you achieve your goals and share the trials and tribulations along the way. You can support yourself too by giving yourself little rewards along the way. Treat yourself on each stepping stone to your success.
Hold yourself accountable
Go one step more than just asking for support. Ask your coach, a family member or one of your friends to hold you accountable. This is very important. The constant review of your goals and the knowledge that you are being held accountable for sticking to them, makes a huge difference. If you play a team sport, then that mutual accountability has been found to be extraordinarily effective.
You can also do this yourself with a simple list. One tool that works really well for many athletes is to make up a list of all the daily actions they need to do to accomplish their goals. It is something they carry with them everywhere and simply tick the box when that action is completed. It only takes a few seconds and is a great reminder.
There is even an iPhone app for it too which is great as you can check when you are on the go! No excuses! Your coach will also find it invaluable to see what you are accomplishing daily.
“Accountability breeds response-ability”
Stephen R. Covey
Set a deadline to achieve your actions and your goals
The next step in this process is to set deadlines for achievement. Do it! If you fail to do this one step, your dream will remain just that! When will you achieve this goal? What is realistic? Be specific. Don’t just say December, say the exact date in December.
You may even want to add in the time of the day too! Any insurance policy will have an expiry date on it including the time of day. When will you achieve your goal? Add in the dates now!
“A goal is a dream with a deadline”
Napoleon Hill
