Lately, I?ve been talking a lot about accountability. In fact, I just created a free download that teaches you skills on how to be accountable. This program will teach you how to keep your clients, employees and team members accountable, at the same level that a professional coach like myself would.

The first step in helping others be accountable though, is having the ability to be?accountable for yourself. I?m going to take it a step further today and give you?3 easy ways to keep yourself accountable.

1. When you set goals, be S.M.A.A.R.T.– If you?re not crystal clear about your goals, it is harder to achieve them! ?Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “if you have no destination, ANY road will take you there!” ?So,?specific is very important, but you?also want to make sure you set measurable goals that are achievable?and?ambitious?for totally motivating reasons AND that include a timeline of when you want to meet each goal. ?For accountability, your goals really only need to be specific, measurable and time-bound?but a Coach will make sure you believe you can achieve the goals (achievable) and support you in any behavioral changes that make the goal “ambitious.” ?I usually cover S.M.A.A.R.T. Goal Setting in great detail during the first Complimentary Coaching Session I give someone.

2. Make?your goals even S.M.A.A.T.E.R.R.– When we evaluate the progress we are (or are NOT) making towards our goals, we are embracing the accountability that lets us make the tough decisions?to?renew?our faith in our strategy (if its not working “yet”)?to revise?the strategy (if it simply isn’t working) or revise?the goal itself (if we are ahead of schedule or doing better than we originally projected). ?These are the decisions that successful people make all the time! ?Still, there are way too many business professionals that spend time creating specific goals, but once they start working on those goals, they forget to check in to make sure they?re on track. I get it, life gets busy, but reviewing progress needs to be business activity that receives just as much priority as say invoicing clients and prospecting for new leads.

3. Tell someone as S.M.A.A.R.T. as YOU!– One benefit of having a business coach is that you always have someone to share your goals with. I realize that not everyone has a coach so if you don?t have one, share your goals with a friend, co-worker or family member. ?JUST MAKE SURE?you only share with someone who also sets and pursues goals! ?If you share your ambitions with someone who has none, you can expect them to defend their egos by trashing your goals before they ever hunker down to create their own. ?Sometimes the simple act of telling someone what you will achieve and knowing they might ask you about it will motivate you to be more diligent in working toward the goal?just make sure you only share your goals with someone who themselves is a goal-setter or someone you know to be accountable in their own lives/careers.

There you have it! ?Those are 3 simple tips I recommend following to?start keeping yourself more accountable. If you enjoyed these accountability tips,?CLICK HERE to get your free accountability download. You’ll find even more specific accountability strategies.

If you have any tips of your own that you use to keep yourself accountable, please share them with me in the comments.

To Your Success!

Jeffrey Klubeck, M.A.