Call me a people-pleaser, I’d much rather work on a project or task for someone else than an idea of my own. 

When I was teaching, I felt super productive everyday. Lessons were taught, report cards were written and meetings were held on time – all because of other people. Others’ expectations helped me start (and finish) every task.

Fast forward a few years… As I started my own business, there was no one telling me what to do or giving me deadlines for when to finish. I knew what I wanted to do. I set goals and created detailed plans. And recreated plans. And adjusted my plans. But I couldn’t get started. 

I love being a solopreneur but it took a bit before I got into a flow. I see why so many people give up.

Luckily, I stumbled across someone else who was in the same boat. And she asked if we could be accountability partners. For a while, we sent each other a list of our weekly tasks and reported back on progress at the end of each week. It was amazing! I accomplished so much! I discovered the power of accountability.

When this ended, I hesitated to ask someone else to do this with me. Why? I didn’t want to inconvenience them. My brain said, “It wasn’t a bother for you, why would it be for someone else?” Logically, I know this. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I had to find ways to create accountability for myself that didn’t leave me feeling like I was asking too much from someone. After all, I am a people-pleaser.

It turns out it’s pretty easy to create accountability for yourself without negatively impacting anyone else! 

Get Started Hack #5 – Go to a Virtual Work Session

Believe it or not, even before we were all aware of Zoom, virtual work sessions existed. And they are quite a powerful motivator! They vary in length and complexity, but they all have this in common: you share what you’ll be working on, you work on it “side-by-side” with others (virtually) and you report on your progress at the end. Do a web search, ask around or come join me on Mondays at 11am PT. I promise you’ll stop procrastinating! 

Get Started Hack #6 – Collaborate with a Partner

Find someone who has a similar goal or project and work together! Create a product or plan a presentation. Often, you can each use your strengths to come together in a new and exciting way. And the end result benefits you both! When you work with a partner, you’ll get started (and finish) that task you’ve been putting off.

Get Started Hack #7 – Hire Support People

Sometimes we need support people because we don’t know how to do something; it’s not our area of expertise. But consider hiring support to keep you accountable! Want to get started on your taxes? Hire a CPA. Want to take the next step in your business? Hire a business coach. Want to publish a blog post? Hire an assistant who is waiting for your content! Sure I can do this, but I know I will do this because I don’t want to keep my amazing assistant waiting. It’s a win-win-win. I get started on my task, she gets paid AND I have more time for what I love to do most.

Get Started Hack #8 – Share First!

Have an amazing idea for an event? Choose a date, mark it in your calendar and invite others. Share it on social media and tell everyone you know. Now get to work! The best way to clean your house is to invite friends over for dinner! Sharing first will give you the urgency and accountability to get started!

The people pleaser in me loves to use these hacks! No one is inconvenienced, no one is checking in on me, but I get the outer expectation I need to get started!

Want some personalized support to set up accountability that will work for you? I’d love to help! Reach out and schedule a free Discovery Session!