by Anishametra Saravanan  

In the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced lives, staying true to our goals and commitments can often feel like trying to catch a slippery fish with our bare hands. Whether it’s that New Year’s resolution that fizzled out by mid-February or those career ambitions that got buried under the weight of daily routines, accountability can sometimes seem as elusive as it is essential.  

But fear not, as we unveil 7 ingenious strategies that will not only help you catch that elusive fish of accountability but also keep it firmly in your grasp.  

A study conducted found that accountability buddies increase the chances of one’s ability to achieve their goal. The statistics conclude that when people team up to work towards their goals, they’re 65% more likely to succeed. The chance of success goes up to an impressive 95% when they are willing to have regular meetings to track their progress. So, reach out to someone you trust, like your best friend, partner, mentor, or family member, and state your goal. Give them a deadline to check back in on whether you completed your plan or not. 

If-then planning is a powerful method to help you achieve your goal and here’s how you can implement it in your daily life: 

• a. Identify the goal you’d like to accomplish. For example, you might want to allocate 2 days a week to complete an online course that you committed to finishing by the end of the month. 
• b. When and where do you need to accomplish this? You might want to achieve this in the office at 6pm once you’re done with the workday. 
• c. Combine the two: If (or When) ____, then ____. In our example, “If it is Tuesday and Friday, then I will do my online course at 6pm.” 
• d. Think of an obstacle that might ruin your progress. In this case, perhaps you get hungry around this time and may want to leave the office for food instead of finishing your course. 
• e. Think of how you will handle that obstacle if it comes. You may bring a light snack to help alleviate the hunger in this case. 
• f. Combine the two again. “If I get hungry when I’m doing my online course, then I will eat the snack I brought.” 

Setting up a pre-commitment is another way you can take charge of the present moment to make it difficult for you to break a promise in the future. For instance, a pre-commitment may look like: 

• Laying out your gym clothes right next to your bed so you can work out first thing in the morning. 
• Putting your phone away from reach to avoid checking it when you’re meant to be in ‘focus mode.’ 
• Setting up an automatic percentage of your paycheque to go towards savings. 

Think about the people you admire — whether they’re famous, successful, or simply remarkable individuals in your life. Picture the things they commit themselves to. For instance, if you look up to Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock), you might envision him getting up early for a rigorous two-hour workout and a nutritious meal. Or if Oprah is your inspiration, you might picture her spending quality time with loved ones. 

These admired individuals hold themselves accountable for these actions as if they were daily habits, akin to brushing their teeth. Rather than fixating on what you must do, shift your focus to the person you aspire to be. 

People often depict self-control as a montage in movies and films. And while it may be cool to think you’re Rocky Balboa climbing the stairs of the Art Museum of Philadelphia, we forget that self-control begins with cognitive reframing: 

• Instead of saying, “I have to go to bed earlier,” tell yourself, “I get to go to bed earlier.” 
• Instead of, “I have to eat healthier,” say, “I get to eat healthier.” 
• Instead of, “I have to do this project,” say, “I get to do this project.” 

A Win Box is a box containing little notes of your successes—from the huge ones to even the small victories. Whenever you feel like you’re lacking inspiration or drive to accomplish something, pull out your notes from your Win Box. It serves as a reminder that you CAN accomplish things in life, no matter how big or small.  

Self-accountability is also about setting the right goals for yourself. After all, if your goals aren’t driving you to get out of bed in the morning, they probably aren’t strong enough to last for a couple of months. It’s good to be optimistic and realistic about what you intend to achieve at the end of the day.  

Source:  

Science of People