Early last year, my wife and I launched Make Over Your Year. This goal-setting course was a deep dive into the process we use to set our own goals.
While writing the course, I was challenged to rethink the kind and number of goals that I set every year. Every year, I get over-ambitious and set so many that they become unrealistic or unattainable.
Instead, this year I limited my goals to four areas: Faith, Family, Finances and Fitness–four areas I need to concentrate on and develop better discipline in.
One thing I did this year that I had not done was set up accountability partners for my goals. This was, and still is, huge.
Why?
Because accountability helps us to stay focused and intentional. We no longer only have ourselves to report to. We have to justify sluffing off on what we once deemed important enough to commit to at the beginning of the year. If you can’t give a good reason for slacking, was it really something that was important to you or was it an expectation that was place on you by someone else? An accountability partner will give you the kick in the pants you need to stay the course.
The result for me has been that this year has been the best year so far in the goal-MEETING department.
This past month marked the half-way point for this year and so far, I have completed my financial goal (retirement savings), stayed reasonably faithful with my family goal (consistent family Bible time), killed my fitness goal (averaging 4 days a week in the gym instead of 2 or 3 a week last year), and am consistent with my faith goal (personal Bible times).
If you don’t have an accountability partner or product in place, I would highly encourage you to set one up. You may very well surprise yourself on how disciplined you can be!