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Are you struggling to stay accountable to your goals? Do you find yourself making progress one day and then falling off track the next?
If so, you’re not alone. I recently had an opportunity to speak to former project manager turned life coach, Ian Whitehead on how to stay accountable and achieve your goals.
From Project Manager to Life Coach
Ian’s journey to becoming a coach began as a successful project manager. After many years in the field, he eventually became a senior project manager. Despite his success, Ian found himself feeling mentally exhausted and unfulfilled. He knew he needed to make a change, but wasn’t sure what to do next.
That’s when Ian sought the help of a coach to gain clarity and understand what was holding him back. Through this experience, he realized that his value of working hard was actually holding him back from achieving the clarity he needed. Ian had been so focused on working hard and achieving success that he had lost sight of his true goals and values.
Taking a step back, Ian worked only the hours he was paid for, which gave him the time he needed to figure out what he really wanted to do. He began to explore new opportunities that aligned with his values and passion for helping others. Eventually, he became a clarity coach, helping people find clarity in their lives and the right online business model that suits their values.
As a coach, Ian guides his clients in identifying their long-term goals and breaking them down into achievable steps. He believes that it is important to identify the value behind the goal to avoid self-sabotage and achieve success. Ian’s approach focuses on helping his clients gain clarity and understanding of their values, so they can create a plan that aligns with their true goals and aspirations.
Here’s some of Ian’s top tips he shared with me on how to stay accountable, all from his perspective of being a former project manager.
Ian’s Top 5 Tips on How to Stay Accountable
🎯 Stay Accountable by Understanding the Value Behind your Goals
According to Ian, one of the keys to staying accountable to your goals is understanding the value behind them. Rather than just setting surface-level goals, it’s important to dig deep and understand what’s driving those goals. This means asking questions like, “What do I really want to achieve?” and “Why is this goal important to me?”
🧩 Stay Accountable by Breaking Down Your Goals into Smaller Chunks
Once you understand the value behind your goals, it’s important to break them down into smaller, more achievable chunks. This not only makes your goals more manageable, but it also helps you see what the next step is and how to get there.
👥 Stay Accountable by Cultivating a Supportive Community
Another important aspect of staying accountable to your goals is cultivating a supportive community. This means surrounding yourself with people who will hold you accountable and support you in your journey. According to Ian, it’s important to have a group of people who not only hold you accountable but also support you in achieving your goals.
🔎 Stay Accountable by Reevaluating your Goals
As you work towards your goals, it’s important to periodically reevaluate them to ensure they’re still aligned with your values. Ian recommends asking yourself questions like, “Is this goal still right for me?” and “Am I happy with the path I’m on?” If your goals are no longer aligned with your values, it may be time to make some changes.
🏎 Stay Accountable by Thinking of the Goal as the Vehicle to Get you to the Value
Finally, it’s important to remember that the goal is just the vehicle to get you to the value. As Ian points out, it’s okay if your goals change as long as they’re still aligned with your values. What’s important is that you stay true to what’s driving you and continue to move forward towards your goals.
In Summary
Staying accountable to your goals is all about understanding the value behind them, breaking them down into smaller chunks, cultivating a supportive community, periodically reevaluating your goals, and remembering that the goal is just the vehicle to get you to the value.
By following these tips from Ian, you can stay focused, motivated, and on track towards achieving your goals.