Let’s talk accountability.
Whether you like it or not, accountability is a sure-fire way to get you to your goals. However, accountability can be a bit uncomfortable. I mean, you’re essentially opening up to someone else, sharing your goals, and leaving yourself (and your flaws) out there for your buddy to call you out on.
When you have a goal that you want to achieve, you need a support system to get you there. This support system is crucial because when you’re ready to give up, when you want to sleep in and miss that workout, you need an accountability partner to make you get your butt out of bed. You need them to remind you of your goals and why you want to achieve them.
So, how do you find an accountability partner that works for you?
Finding the accountability partner that is RIGHT for you is extremely important, so you must choose wisely. Follow my tips on finding the right accountability partner and you can’t go wrong.
Your accountability partner should…
…Be more disciplined than you.
Is there someone you admire? Do you notice someone in particular that grinds towards their own personal goals with downright persistence? Look for someone who has great discipline, because you want them to breed that quality in you through your accountability relationship.
…Have similar goals as you.
If your goal is to run a marathon and you’re partnering up with a buddy who’s into Cross-Fit, you won’t really be able to hold each other accountable now will you? Choose someone who is up against the same thing and you will really be able to mesh well. Even better, find someone that has already been through what you’re going through and chances are, they’ll push you harder than you would have ever pushed yourself.
…Be someone who likes to workout at similar times as you.
If you’re an early bird and like to work out in the morning, it’ll be tough to pair up with someone who works out late at night. Remember, the whole point of your accountability relationship is to support and motivate each other. That means when you’re struggling to get out of bed in the morning, you’ll be much more inclined to get out of bed and get your sweat on when your buddy is already up and rolling.
…Mesh well with you, but not accept your BS excuses.
It’s okay if your accountability partner is your friend or even your significant other. However, the important part of this tip is that your buddy won’t accept your lame excuses. My boyfriend and I have even been accountability partners and while it worked well for quite some time, pushing each other turned into nagging and nobody likes that. Having your significant other on board is definitely important, but I’d suggest finding your own accountability partners, so you get push back from someone you wouldn’t feel comfortable talking back to.
…Have the time to invest in you.
This is most important. Make sure your buddy has time to invest in you, otherwise your pact will work for 1-2 weeks and completely die off. When choosing your accountability partner, pay attention to how much your partner has going on outside of fitness. If your lifestyles are similar, it’s much more likely to work out.
I cannot stress enough how important having an accountability partner is. Speaking from experience, training for my marathon would have been much more difficult without my accountability partner. There were so many times where I wanted nothing more than to sleep in and miss a training run, but it helped get me up knowing someone was there waiting for me. Plus, the journey to your goal is much more fun when you have someone to bond with along the way!
Author: Ashton Maseth
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Starting her fitness journey in college, Ashton developed such a passion for focusing on overall wellness and connecting with like-minded women. She is driven to inspire others to live a balanced life by sharing (sometimes hard) lessons learned throughout her fitness journey. Professionally, Ashton works as a Real Estate Agent in Maryland while also leading monthly ‘BBG’ work outs in Baltimore. In her spare time, you can catch Ashton blogging, golfing, or eating (ice cream).
Link to website: http://www.fitnessalamode.com
