Create Accountability to Strengthen Willpower

We could all use a little more willpower from time to time. One of the best ways to strengthen it and give yourself that little extra boost in self-control when needed is to create some accountability. When we know that we have to report or share what we’re doing, we think twice about skipping that workout or indulging in our favorite junk food.

Today I want to share with you three of my favorite ways to create accountability. Give each of them a try and see what works best for you. Of course, you are welcome to mix and match these strategies or even use all three of them at the same time.

Keep A Journal

A great place to start is with a journal. That can be a food journal, an exercise journal, a personal finance tracker. Customize it to the goals you’re trying to achieve and record the type of information or behavior that’s helpful for you. When you know you have to write down every little bite of food you take, or every dollar you spend, you think twice about an indulgence or impulse decision. Also, the journal can be a great tool to keep you on track because it’s a record of how well you’ve been doing and how far you’ve already come.

Make A Public Statement

Announcing your intentions is another great way to build accountability. You don’t want to have to come back and share that you’ve failed. You also don’t want to have to answer questions from people you’ve shared your intentions with unless you’re doing well. Use your pride to your advantage.

You can make this statement in a variety of different ways. You can simply tell a few trusted friends or family members that you want to lose 15 pounds by Thanksgiving. Or you can go on social media and share it with a whole bunch of people. You could even combine the public statement and journal ideas and start a blog.

Find An Accountability Partner

Last but not least, consider finding an accountability partner. Ideally, this is a person with the same or a similar goal. For example, if you want to start walking to get more exercise then find someone else with the same goal and start going for walks together. When you know there’s someone else out there waiting for you and relying on you to do your part it becomes much harder to skip a workout or give in to temptations. Instead, you’ll cheer each other on and call each other out on mishaps or slowdowns.

Have you tried any of the above methods to improve your Willpower? Let us know your thoughts and any further tips in the comments section below.