Who Holds You Accountable?
One of the things I’ve found with many startup entrepreneurs is that they get very excited about new ideas and don’t have the patience to actually follow through on the execution part of it. Most entrepreneurs have a million business ideas running through their heads but continue to jump from one to another instead of sticking with just one.
I’m a part of a Mastermind Group here in Toronto where business owners from different walks of life come together once a month to discuss their businesses. We talk about our plans, our problems, and our goals. Throughout the month we also set up a weekly call with one of the members to help everyone stay accountable.
It’s easy to set goals but then never follow through. When you commit to someone else, however, you are more likely to take action and achieve your goals.
Do you have someone to hold you accountable? It could be a family member, a friend, a business partner, or another entrepreneur. What’s important is that you respect the person, ideally they have some business experience, and you will listen to their advice.
Once you find an accountability partner set regular times to touch base. It could be quarterly, monthly or weekly - as long as progress it being made in between check-ins. You could connect by phone or set up a face to face meeting. Choose a format that best suits your learning style.
Connecting with other entrepreneurs on a regular basis also helps you stay motivated through the tough times. It can help rejuvenate you, give you more energy, and fill you with ideas to help you get over the business hurdles you are facing.
Do you have anybody who holds you accountable for actually doing what you say you are going to do?
Evan Carmichael
Evan CarmichaelYoungEntrepreneur.com Blog Manager
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3 Comments so far
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Evan, great post. I can’t agree with you more how important it is as a fellow young entrepreneur to stay accountable. It is especially challenging when working alone.
Luckily, I too am apart of a program that helps me stay accountable. It was developed by Michael Simmons of Extreme Entrepreneurship and I have an accountability partner I call everyday and weekly calls with other young entrepreneurs. Anyone can be apart of it. They can sign up through http://www.journeypage.com.
The program has taken me further that I could have working alone with anyone to support me.
what a wonderful post. I have that same problem of going through different ideas every week and that results in very little progress.
thanks for the eye-opening post!
Evan…you say to find another to hold you accountable but the TRUE entrepreneur has a unique heart which no one can match. They have extreme passion which rarely can be understood by others and the motivations of this person just can’t be realized by another who is coaching.
I’ve seen so many (not hurtful) wannabes fall off all around me. This is truly my inspiration as I watch them get bored, lose stamina, mixed up dreams etc. I knew I just had to “keep pushing ’til it burns”…’til there was nothing left of the idea. Either a sure winner or sure loser. If I did this I knew I would be an elite entrepreneur.
What an entrepreneur needs to do is this. 7 DAYS A WEEK work on your idea,dream,project. Sunday too? YES! This is the most important day. Even if you put in a 10 minute brainstorm while driving to get a jump on Monday and to ENSURE you don’t push off Monday.
You take one day off it turns to two. Then to weeks…then gone and the entrepreneur has to say to himself he was full of shit and that is the most hurtful part.
Think I’m going a little overboard? I assure you, if you are not this enthusiastic, out of the other people that have your same dream, someone is this enthusiastic and will make your dream real. Go 7 days a week and it will build your confidence. You can say then, this just gotta win the race this time! Just a matter of opinion.
Ron
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com