We’ve all been there: 
"Someday I’m going to start my own business and it will be awesome!"
"Pretty soon I’m going to actually quit my 9 to 5 job and work from home full-time."
"I’m an *aspiring* freelancer."
To each of these statements, I ask…
WHEN and HOW are you going to go about starting your own business/quitting your day job/becoming a freelancer?
WHAT is your strategy and timeline, exactly?
It’s like when people say that they’d love to write a book someday:
Okay… that’s great! But, you *saying* you’d love to write a book, and you actually *writing* that book, are two very different things.
(By the way, learn my exact process for taking ACTION on writing novels in this blog post.)
So what happens here? Why are so many goals and dreams never turned into reality?
There’s a wide spectrum of reasons for why people struggle to turn their goals and dreams into a reality, but one of the BIGGEST reasons is that they just don’t take action---because they don’t have much in the way of accountability built into their business idea.
Unless you’re in a position where you’re laid off or your contract ends and you need to start your business ASAP, there probably isn’t much of a reason for you to get around to starting your business.
So you put it off…
And put it off…
And put it off some more.
And suddenly several years have passed by and you realize that you still haven’t gotten around to moving forward with your business idea.
Let’s not let that continue to happen for you, shall we? Today we're talking about accountability tips for freelancers!
Here are 10 ways that you can keep yourself accountable to *finally* move forward with your business:
1) Create a business plan
You have to start SOMEWHERE with your business, and it’s better to go into it with a concrete plan. Otherwise, you could waste a huge amount of time “working” on your business without ever actually making any progress.
CLICK HERE for a simplified business plan template.
2) Break down your goals into manageable weekly/daily tasks
Creating a plan of action is a super effective way to keep yourself accountable!
The best way to do this is to organize monthly calendars for yourself so that you can see weeks at a time and organize all of your tasks ahead of time. That way, you’ll know what you’re supposed to work on at what times to achieve your goals.
3) Get a business friend to meet with regularly
Let’s be honest: this is the most fun way possible to keep yourself accountable!
Meeting with a business friend for weekly coffee dates is an amazing way to talk about your business struggles and wins, have impromptu brainstorming sessions, and get casual feedback on your work.
Plus, emailing or using Google chat in between coffee dates to get additional support will help you to stay on track even more.
Just make sure that your business friend is someone you trust, who you feel comfortable with, who can provide you with the encouragement and supports you need, and who will be able to keep you accountable on a regular and consistent basis---otherwise, this route might not be as effective.
Pssst… I’d love to be your biz bestie! CLICK HERE to find out how we can be BBFs (business best friends).
4) Mark key dates on a calendar
There’s something magical about having goals marked on your calendar.
I like to use a large monthly desktop calendar so I can see everything that’s happening in the coming weeks, and it’s a great way to see what you want to accomplish so that you can work backward to make it a reality. Have your goals written down so you can visualize them.
5) Blog your experiences
Blogging is a wonderful way to keep accountable! If you want to blog for pleasure and to keep yourself accountable, try not to get too caught up in the multitude of things a blogger CAN be spending their time on.
Focus on simply documenting your experience, for example (otherwise it has the potential to get a little out of control and take up huge chunks of your time---not necessarily a problem if you want to be a professional blogger, but definitely an issue if it’s purely a hobby!).
An alternative to blogging your experience? Try doing a weekly live video stream on Periscope, Facebook, or YouTube to share what you’ve accomplished and what your next steps are, or post images of your experience on Instagram, or use Twitter to document it. Get creative!
6) Join a supportive community to get to know other new business owners who are in a similar position to you
There is so much value in connecting with others who are in a similar boat to you.
That's part of the reason why I created the Begin Your Biz Challenge: it's a wonderful way to stay accountable and to connect with other freelancers, brainstorm ideas, and get feedback on things like your website copy.
7) Create a reward system for yourself
Is there something you really want? Make it a gift to yourself when you accomplish various goals in your business!
Setting rewards for making progress with your business is a great motivator to keep you moving forward. Even small rewards will entice you to keep going when you might otherwise have continued to put it off.
8) Just do one small thing every day---even if it’s only a 15-minute action item
Chip away at things one step at a time and you WILL see progress over time!
If you want help with figuring out WHAT to work on every step along the way, then hosting your own solo business retreat is exactly what you need to get clear and focused about your priorities on an ongoing basis.
9) Make a list of WHY you want to start your own business
When you have a concrete list of the reasons why you want to do this, it’s going to help you stay that much more motivated to keep moving forward. Write out your list and then tape it somewhere that you will see it every day.
When you wake up in the morning, read your list---it’s going to help inspire you to work on your business when it’s something you make a habit of reminding of yourself on a daily basis.
10) Get one-on-one business coaching
There’s nothing quite like getting someone ELSE to keep you accountable!
Hiring a business coach for personalized, one-on-one coaching means that you’re getting a mentor and a guide to assess where you’re at with your business so far and the best steps you need to take to move forward with your business.
A great coach will keep you accountable by checking up on you when they haven’t heard from you, by providing you with recommendations for what to do next (and actionable steps to take between your sessions), by being easily accessible to you every day of the week and answering all your questions, by providing feedback on your work and facilitating brainstorming sessions with you.
Interested in getting one-on-one coaching to see SERIOUS progress in your business (and have fun while you’re at it)?
Join the Biz Bestie Coaching Program!
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