An accountability partner sounds like a scary legal term, but in fact, it’s simply another human being that you’ve chosen to help you be a better human being. Not so scary. An accountability partner is basically someone who is there to get you back on track when you’ve lost your way. Someone to say “have you completed what you said you were going to?”

These people can come in the form of a friend, an acquaintance from your network, or even a business coach. You just need someone to know what your plan is and to help you stick to it. Here’s how to find your perfect accountability partner:

Ask a trustworthy friend

Everyone has that friend who’s a whiz with a clipboard, and who everyone would trust to organise their wedding. Use this friend’s exceptional skills and ask him/her to help you set some goals. People are usually more than happy to take control of someone else’s life, and if you do something for them in return then it’s a win-win for both of you.

Take them out to lunch, discuss your goals together and why you want to achieve them, and create a plan where both of you can gain something from the process. After the initial meetup, email them your goals and ask them to check in with you each week to discuss your progress. This method isn’t for everyone, as many people don’t want their friends involved in their business so closely, but if you have someone in your life that you trust, it’s a good way to stay accountable.

Check out local networking groups

There are always a ton of networking groups in whichever city you’re in, you just need to find the one that works best for you. Start looking around for meetups that are aimed at freelancers and entrepreneurs (my favourite sites to check out are Meetup.com and Eventbrite), and make the effort to go and chat with your likemindeds!

Discuss your goals and offer to exchange contact information with anyone that you believe could help you, and who you could help in return, then make the effort to email them and follow up. Ask them about the goals that they mentioned to you initially, and pretty soon they’ll be returning the favour without even realising. Aim to go to the next meetup with all of your goals ticked – a sure-fire way to achieve what you need to.

Find a coach

There are lots of business coaches out there who you can pay to help you set goals and advise you on the best way to approach them. While I’m not a huge advocate of all business coaches (some charge thousands of pounds to teach you things you could learn on the internet), sometimes what you need is someone to really kick-start your motivation and keep you on track throughout.

If you’re not one for getting things done when left to your own devices, then this might be a good route to go down. Remember to always do your research on the coach though, and work with the person who’s right for you and who specialises in the kinds of goals you want to achieve.

If you’re on the lookout for an accountability partner that can simply show up in your inbox every Monday to give you that little boost of motivation, then you might want to sign up for our mailing list! We send out weekly emails to inspire your freelance or entrepreneurial lifestyle, and motivate you to get that to-do list ticked off in no time.

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Photo by Clarisse Meyer via Unsplash Clarisse Meyer