How to Hold Yourself Accountable to Goals

Summary

Have you ever set a high-energy goal on January 1st, only to find yourself completely unmotivated and alone a month later? Most of us fail not because we lack vision, but because we lack a system of support to keep us moving when the newness wears off. In this practical episode of the Arise, Women of God podcast, host Tamara K. Anderson joins Wendi Christensen and Kari Anjewierden to answer the question: How do you set goals and hold yourself accountable?

We move from the lonely struggle to a divine partnership by breaking down the mechanics of follow-through. Wendi explains how to use the "Stress CBT Approach" to categorize your goals (Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Financial) so you solve actual problems rather than just creating busy work. Kari shares the "Nashville Buddy System"—proving that a simple phone check-in can increase your success rate to over 90%. We also discuss the "Doable Goal" principle (why 5 minutes of scripture is better than an hour of guilt) and the importance of finding a mentor to help you skip the messy middle. If you are ready to shift your mindset from performance to stewardship, this episode will help you stop quietly quitting on your dreams.

Episode Takeaways

1. The Stress CBT Approach: Wendi suggests categorizing goals based on your current stressors (Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Financial). If you are stressed about health, set a goal there. Don't set random goals; set goals that solve your pain.
2. The Nashville Buddy System: Kari shares how she walks "with" her sister in Nashville via phone. You don't need a local gym buddy; you just need a commitment to check in. This simple act skyrockets success rates.
3. The Doable Goal: Set a goal you know you can achieve (e.g., 5 minutes of reading) rather than an ideal goal (1 hour). Consistency builds confidence. You can always increase the time later, but you can't build a habit on failure.
4. Mentorship Shortcuts: Sometimes you don't need a buddy; you need a guide. Tamara shares how consulting a doctor for weight loss helped her skip the "messy middle" of guessing. Seeking wise counsel is a form of spiritual stewardship.

Resources

Need a buddy to keep you on track? Join our Accountability Group at Women Warriors of Light! You can also download our FREE Guide to Goal Setting to help you categorize your stressors and find your starting point. 👉 Download the Guide Here: https://www.womenwarriorsoflight.com/offers/WyaLn2gS/checkout

Need accountability? Check out our Women Warriors Accountability Group for free for two weeks! https://www.womenwarriorsoflight.com/join-now

Reflection Questions

1. Look at your current stressors. Which category (Physical, Financial, Spiritual) is causing you the most anxiety right now? Is your current goal helping to solve that?
2. Do you have a "Nashville Buddy"? Who is one person you could text today to ask for a weekly check-in?
3. Are your current goals "Doable" or "Ideal"? If you are failing, how can you shrink the goal to make it 100% achievable this week?
4. Read Luke 12:42-43. How does viewing your goals as "stewardship" (taking care of what God gave you) change your motivation compared to viewing them as "performance"?

Transcript

https://www.womenwarriorsoflight.com/blog/how-to-hold-yourself-accountable-to-goals