If one more coach or group tries to sell me accountability, I am going to need a barf bag (like those little ones tucked into airplane seats).
Why the visceral gag reflex?
For starters…
- I am not a 3-year old!!
- I don’t need someone to “hold my hand”.
- And I certainly don’t need someone to “check-in” to see if I did what I said I was going to do.
Seriously. If you are going to be self-employed or a business owner of any kind, you really need to be more self-motivated and self-sustaining than a grade-schooler.
Why does this word rile me up so much?
Let’s look to our friend the dictionary.
Accountability is defined as “the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable.”
If YOU are the boss, you are already accountable, liable, and rewarded by the very nature of the position.
If you don’t do what needs to be done you will either stay stuck, go out of business, or otherwise know the pain that results from avoidance.
You are not going to accidentally stumble into profitability. You aren’t going to sustain relationships or generate leads if you procrastinate forever. You simply cannot build a sustainable and successful business without a robust amount of introspection, strategy and action.
This isn’t to say you need to be a lone ranger on your journey. Absolutely not.
Instead – be thoughtful and choose wisely. Support, mentorship, coaching, and masterminding, now THAT I can get behind.
But “let me sell you an accountability program” (insert perky personality and emojis here).
Please. Gosh. No.
I will be the first to tell you that:
Being your own boss can feel isolating and lonelier than lonely.
- It can feel overwhelming, scary, and frustrating.
- You can’t know it all and you will need support. You aren’t meant to go it all alone.
- You will need support if you want momentum.
Here’s the secret to getting the right thing for you vs tossing money out the window.
Remember the golden rule.
You partner with someone. You don’t answer to them.
Think about your personal life. Have you ever been reminded; dare I say nagged about something you said you would do?
How well does that nagging work?
Does it transform you into a better human being?
Or…
Do you just do the damn thing already so your spouse/friend/parent/whomever will get off your back and stop nagging you?
That’s what I thought. The shortest path to “Just shut up already!” is your chosen path.
The same holds true in your business. The “I’ll just do this to shut you up or appear like a good girl” won’t work.
- It isn’t strategic.
- It won’t help you evolve as a human.
- It won’t get you to the “next level” in your business.
Processes, systems, habits and mindset will move you forward.
Hiring a trusted partner will help you avoid pitfalls, shorten the learning curve, and fuel your momentum.
Accountability will not. It never will.
If you really need a reminder for certain tasks – put one on your calendar or to-do app and be done with it.
Or, if you really want the human interaction, partner with a colleague for a 10-minute progress report every week or two. Use it for planning and connection, not babysitting.
Done. See that? I just saved you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in “accountability programs”!
The environment in which we operate as business owners, freelancers, and being our own bosses has changed dramatically in the 12.5 years I’ve been doing this full time. One thing is certain – there is no “one size fits all” and there is no guarantee that if you check all the cute little boxes (accountability!!) that you will be successful.
You need to go way beyond that. Think differently and show up differently.
There are 3 times you can benefit the most from working with a trusted partner.
- When you are just getting started with something new or need to grow.
- When you have hit a new level of growth/success and need to change how you do things creating the leverage necessary to be successful at this new juncture.
- If you feel stuck, stale, or yearn for a change.
If one of these scenarios sounds like you, we need to talk.
You are not meant to struggle with figuring it all out for yourself. You certainly don’t just need to be “held accountable”.
If this resonates with you…
>>>Click here to schedule a no-strings attached discovery call.
You already bring a TON of value and expertise, you deserve to partner with someone who recognizes that and will help you build upon your own uniqueness.