Have you been motivated about losing weight, you shared your goal with a friend, you both agreed that you’d do it together, and then neither one of you stuck with it for more than a week? Unfortunately, that happens all the time. Instead of sharing my goals with a friend, I rely heavily on layered accountability when it comes to making BIG changes in my life. If you are unfamiliar with this term, it’s the process of utilizing numerous forms of accountability to reach your end goal, but it all starts with YOU.
1.YOU
Change begins at the source… YOU! No one can tell you what you want, and no one can push you to do something that you don’t want to do. Once you’ve decided what is that you want to accomplish and you’re committed to making a change, you’re ready to begin.
2. Coach
Whether you prefer the convenience of online coaching or the personal connection of face-to-face coaching, find a coach. Confide in someone who has experience with and knowledge about your desired goal. Make sure that they are someone you can trust, connect with, and are motivated by. Consider participating in group coaching as well. You won’t only receive the incredible benefits that come with coaching, but you’ll also get to know and better understand people on similar journeys as you.
3. Community
I encourage you to connect with 4-5 people who want to achieve goals that are similar to yours. Open up to them about your desire to make a BIG change in your life and ask them to hold you accountable. Be sure to return the favor! You may find these friends in a workout class, at the office, or even online. Rather than leaning on one person to support you, find community with four or more people. Oftentimes if you only rely on one person, they may give up and leave you feeling lonely in your journey. But when you rely on numerous people, you are less likely to ever feel alone, even if one person in the group decides to give up.
4. Friendly Competition
To kick it up a notch, create friendly competition within your community. Whether that be to walk a certain amount of steps each day, attend specific workout classes each week or lose the most amount of weight in a month, make it fun! Find something that everyone is willing and excited to do that brings them closer to their end goal. As an even bigger incentive, offer a prize to the winner! That will get people moving.
I’ve made BIG changes in my life with the help of layered accountability. I’ve also met incredible coaches and wonderful people who were excited to cheer me on. If you’re ready to raise the bar in your life, consider the benefits of layered accountability. For more tips and motivation, tune into Episode 49 of the Fit Is Freedom podcast.