The Keys to Accountability in Your Home Business
It makes sense that, as home business owners, we would look outside ourselves for someone to hold us accountable. It’s hard to motivate yourself through all of the struggles of growing a successful online business.
Initially, my circle of influence consisted of toddlers and people who couldn’t see beyond the eternal struggle of the 9-5. If only I had someone who shared my vision, I thought. We could keep each other accountable. We could, in a sense, be each others’ boss.
My next excuse for not holding myself accountable was that I just couldn’t find the right person. The person I clicked with enough to motivate me to success.
As my business started to require more of my time, I began to realize that (1) I would never get to the next level if I just kept doing whatever I could to “get by” every day, and (2) I had an obligation to my growing list to fulfill the promises I made to them.
Here’s what I figured out after a lot of self-examination. The reason I couldn’t find anyone to keep me accountable was that I was the only one that could keep me accountable. And if I had the right mindset, then I would force myself to be accountable to me.
No outside person was going to motivate me to sit down at midnight and write an article to drive traffic to my website. The only thing that is capable of giving me this kind of push is MY burning desire to succeed.
Yes, it’s “fun” to talk with other like-minded people about your goals and the joys of meeting them, the frustrations of falling short. But the bottom line is that if you don’t want it bad enough to force yourself to do what it takes, then surely no one else will want it bad enough for you. And besides, how could someone else force you to take the actions you need to take?
Once you come to grips with having to go this alone, you need to figure out how to make yourself accountable in your home business. If you haven’t developed your burning desire yet, stop now and figure it out.
Once you’ve got your burning desire, the second key to self-accountability is simple. You’ve got to write it down. This made a huge difference for me. I went from randomly trying to accomplish as much as I could everyday, to writing down what I had to do each day and each week.
Writing it all down pulled me into reality. Yes, I was doing a lot. But for where I wanted to go, I realized that I wasn’t doing near enough. Now, when I look at my checklist for today, and it’s three checks short of complete, it’s my burning desire that moves me to take the action necessary to make those last three checks.
No one is going to check your boxes for you. And it’s impossible to be truly accountable in your head. So get your mindset right, get out your pen and paper, and be your own boss. Isn’t that the reason you started your home business?
JENNIFER HERNDON works at home with her kids. She has been enjoying the time freedom and financial rewards of working from home for over 11 years. Need help organizing your accountability plan? Check out Zig Ziglar’s Performance Planner. Discover the Seven Simple Success Steps for free in Jennifer’s new mini-course and start turning yourself and your business around today.
Filed under: self improvement, successful home business on June 13th, 2009
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