YOU NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO GET THINGS DONE.
Want to know what I really think about the online entrepreneurship world?!
There's a ton of good...tons of freedom, flexibility, creative spirit, profit potential, growth and leadership experience...the list goes on. #amiright?!
Preaching to the choir, I'm sure...but I think there's also a HUGE problem. HOUSTON, we have a problem!
And it could be the thing that's actually holding you back from getting bigger and faster results...ya know...the ones you're wondering why you're not currently getting?!
The online entrepreneurship world is missing one of the critical elements that supports our success...accountability.
You remember what that is, right?
The participation grade you received in college for showing up to all your classes.
The mid-term date that you couldn't push back.
The manager that you said hello to at the coffee pot every morning before the team meeting.
The quarterly goal setting that your company VP would approve.
It also looked like this... The friend that texted you when you didn't show up for said class.
The classmate that dragged you to go study before said mid-term.
The office bestie that ran into your office to let you know your boss was in a mood today.
The mentor that helped you identify what you needed to work on if you wanted to advance.
And guess what...it even looked like this...
The deadline for your thesis paper.
The project timeline that couldn't be delayed without another budget approval.
The end of year review that let us know if we were meeting, exceeding or falling short of the expectations.
The very thing that we despised and dreaded about our previous roles is also thing that allowed us to BE the achievers that we are.
Without deadlines or grades there is no OVER-ACHIEVING.
Without milestones and recognition there is no BEST IN CLASS.
Without accountability or support there is no SENSE OF URGENCY.
I'm not just going to leave you hanging though...there are some ways to insert some accountability back into your business with love, not bitterness.
The big difference though?
YOU have to make the effort.
No one else can decide this for you.
You have to ask for it. Or create it. Or raise your hand.
Okay...here's some great ways to build some accountability back into your life...in ways that won't feel like you're being strangled or back in corporate.
- Find a business bestie.
Not your college roommate bestie...that won't work here, unless they're also an entrepreneur. You need someone WHO GETS IT. And NOT someone who is going to let you off the hook every time things get tough...that's not a true business bestie. Business besties listen, love and then require each other to execute at their highest potential.
Where to find one?
Reach out to someone that you resonate with in some FB groups or at a local networking event. Don't be shy...
I met mine in a FB group in early 2015, we had a coffee chat and the rest is history! We now meet every Friday morning for a 5am accountability call and catch up sesh.
We've even collaborated on events, webinars, and retreats!
- Join a mastermind.
Masterminds are one of the BEST additions I've made to my business {both being in one and running them}.
By definition, a mastermind is a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability and support in a group setting designed to sharpen your business and personal skills. It's build to help you and your mastermind counterparts achieve success.
You challenge each other to set powerful goals, and more importantly, to accomplish them. The group requires commitment, confidentiality, willingness to both give and receive advice and ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion.
Your mastermind partners are catalysts for growth, devil's advocates and supportive colleagues. I've seen the great power these groups can have from both participating and running them and recommend them to anyone who is at the Momentum or Leader phase of business.
Where to find one? Some of your mentors may also facilitate masterminds OR you can create one on your own.
I facilitate 2 different masterminds and we're enrolling new members now if this is something you've been seeking. You can apply here.
- Hire support.
Now, support comes in many shapes and forms, so interpret this in whatever way is going to best serve you, but I'll give you a few examples.
MENTOR -- support might be a mentor or coach that you meet with regularly to ensure you're challenging yourself enough and consistently moving towards your goals {and actually hitting them}. It's much easier to fall off the wagon when no one knows there was a wagon. This is an incredible layer of support to have if you want it.
TEAM -- support might also come in the form of team members. When you have a team, you want to inform them of your goals and deadlines so that they can help keep you accountable to staying on track.
While I don't think this is AS powerful as a mentor or coach {because essentially YOU are the boss, and can end up pushing back deadlines again...}, but it's still a great extra layer versus being alone in your own business vortex.
Where to find one?
Right here of course.
Enrollment is officially open for my 2017 one on one program -- the Leader Track Experience, so in all seriousness...if you're interested, apply here.
And if you know I'm not the mentor for you, I know a ton of other great peeps I can refer you to.
You can also ask your business besties for referrals, reach out to people you admire in your industry, or even come ask for some recommendations inside my free FB group here.
Wherever you find this mentor -- just do your homework and make sure you're a good fit for each other.
We need discipline to create freedom.
For me personally, I EXCEL when I share my goals, have support, and surround myself with humans that will keep me accountable to my timely growth and success.
I've done SCARY things to make sure that I've got all that setup in my life and business, scary things like:
>> investing lots of money into the right mentor,
>> sending messages to people who didn't know me from Adam asking them if they wanted to be accountability buddies,
>> and my most recent scary move...asking some of my busiest, most inspiring, and most influential friends if they would join me for a peer retreat here in Florida.
By NOT having these things in your life, you're NOT setting yourself up for success. You're not allowing yourself to excel.
We are human...
When left to our own devices, we procrastinate, we make excuses, we get distracted, we spin, we question ourselves, we lose perspective, we get overwhelmed...the list goes on. Accountability IS the backbone of your success. It's the thing that ties it all together. So, however you add some to your business...do it sooner than later.
I'd love to know how YOU are currently adding accountability to your business.
And if you're ready to raise your hand for more support and accountability -- apply here for Leader Track.
