Why Freelancers Need an Accountable Partner

Working without any supervision is a dream many people have, yet it is not as simple as it might sound. If you work on your own, you will be the one responsible for yourself. You might be working for clients that will hold you accountable, but they only manage a small percentage of your success.

Striking out on your own is a big risk, and if you do not keep yourself motivated, it will not yield any rewards. Therefore, you need to find a way to be accountable for your goals. One of the best ways to do this is to develop a system where you will be held liable if you do not achieve your set goal.

The list of the freelancers who have made it is long, and that is why many people feel like this is a venture they can embark on their own. However, the one point each successful freelancer can tell you is that their success was not an overnight success. If you are looking for a get-rich-quick skim when you join freelance, you will open doors for disappointment.

What Makes Freelancers Fail?

Procrastination is one of the major enemies of the people who are doing freelance work and you have come up with a plan to manage the issue. That is where accountability comes to play. Though you are running solo, no human being is an island. At times, you will need to get someone to give you the push you need to succeed with the project.

Most freelancers will set a goal, but will not have a plan or strategy to attain it. Thus, this leads to them failing. In case you want to make it, you need to find someone who will help you with your journey.

What Are Accountable Partners?

The purpose of accountable partners is to keep you on track and keep you motivated. However, to get the best out of the venture, you need to understand how accountability partners work. ActionBuddy has put together a detailed Accountability Partner Guide. Here are a few key points about how the system works:

Find an accountability partner

This is the hard part and a lot of people get stuck. Finding an accountability partner isn’t that hard, but having a system in place that helps you to have an effective relationship is difficult. Read the full guide from ActionBuddy on how you can find an accountability partner.

Identify Your Long Term Goals

You need to partner with you as they will take the time to listen to your long term goals. At times, it is the plan that leads to you failing as a freelancer. Both of you need to be motivated about and interested in the subject matter.

Set your pledge

Some people are more productive when they set a reward for completing their goals. For example, if I finish my tasks this week I am going to buy a new pair of shoes. Other people are motivated by a penalty when they don’t complete their goals. That is how ActionBuddy works; you set a pledge using something you don’t want to do. For example, If I don’t complete my tasks I will donate $25 to an evil politician.

Create a regular Deadline / Checkin

You and your accountability partner need to agree on a regular time where you will have a quick call and discuss how the week went. You should have completed your tasks before this call starts. If you completed your tasks then you should take a moment to celebrate. If you didn’t manage to finish them, it’s now time to follow through on your pledge.

Set your weekly goals

Goals are one of the most important pieces of the puzzle that can make or break the system. The key to goal setting is making them achievable. For example, if the goal to “Call some potential customers and pitch your idea” is really hard to measure. A much better goal is to “Call 3 potential customers and get feedback on your idea”.

Getting Started

Now that you understand the process/system, it’s time to get started. ActionBuddy can guide you through the process and help you become more productive. Remember to keep things simple and always reflect on what worked well and what didn’t. This is a learning process that needs constant attention.

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