Journaling for accountability, while not a new concept, can be instrumental in achieving success.
We all want to be successful.
We all want to achieve our goals.
Unfortunately, often we fail to reach the achievements and milestones we envision for ourselves because we fail to hold ourselves accountable for our actions, our goals and ultimately, our lives.
To keep us on track with our writing and/or working towards any of the goals we set for ourselves, seeking out an accountability partner can often lead to triumph.
Alas, sometimes it isn’t easy to find another person who will work with us to achieve our objectives.
A good accountability partner should resonate with you.
You both should mesh if not with similar goals then in personality.
This should be someone you are able to get along with but also someone who will hold your feet to the fire to help you as you work towards realizing your goals.
While accountability partners are a great way of staying the course towards our goals, your journal can serve a similar purpose.
Establish Regular Meeting Times with your Journal
Accountability partners meet on a regular basis and the same is true of your journal.
Schedule a specific time to journal just as you would any regular appointment.
This ensures that you aren’t just idling away your time.
Explore Your Goals
The role of an accountability partner is to listen to and explore what your goals are and keep in touch with you on your progress.
Your journal can’t talk to you but it becomes a living breathing thing when you write out your goals and make a plan for how you’re going to reach your goals.
Confidante
An accountability partner becomes a trusted confidante.
Someone you share your innermost secrets and desires with.
Someone who guides you along on your journey to success.
Your journal can do the same thing.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that your journal can’t talk.
Because it can.
It will serve you up on a platter, when you fail to accomplish your goals.
It will also applaud you when you reach success (big or small).
All your failures and successes will be right there in black and white for you to see.
Responsibility
Your accountability partner keeps you…well accountable.
Another name for accountability is responsibility.
Let your journal keep you responsible to yourself and your goals.
Set up a section of your journal and label it ‘Goals.’
This can be as many pages as you need to list what you want to achieve.
Remember, goals have to be SMART: specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, and time bound.
Brainstorming
A good accountability partner relationship allows for a bit of brainstorming (i.e. tossing around ideas) amongst each other.
In the absence of an actual accountability partner, use your journal as a brainstorming tool.
Toss around your ideas with a little freewriting.
You’ll be surprised at the ideas your journal will yield.
And they all will have come from your own mind.
Support and Motivation
An accountability partner provides support and motivation.
Your journal supports your writing goals unconditionally.
And it doesn’t argue with you.
Although…it will allow you to argue with it. (Smile).
When you’re thinking that writing is just a pipe dream, re-read your goals and successes.
It’s almost guaranteed that your journal will motivate you to continue putting one step in front of the other and keep striving for those goals.
In the absence of an actual accountability partner, your journal will be your cheerleader all while giving you that swift kick in the butt you need to help change those behaviors holding you back.
Allow your journal to speak to you…to challenge you.
Success is only as far away as the last place you laid your journal.
About Patricia Bumpass
Patricia (Pat) Bumpass (www.patriciabumpass.com) is a North Carolina-based freelance writer. She writes a weekly blog for her current employer while building her freelance writing business. Pat enjoys writing and has journaled since she was a teenager.
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