The start of a new year is often an opportunity to make changes in your life. Many of us set resolutions to help improve our health or meet new challenges at work, for example. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to make those changes stick.
Indeed, according to Forbes, only 51% of people in the UK keep their new year’s resolutions in the long term, and 21% of people won’t even last a month before breaking them.
This is because behaviour that has developed over a long period of time can be very hard to change. Fortunately, working with an “accountability buddy” can make it a lot easier to make positive changes.
An accountability buddy is somebody who you hold yourself accountable to, often when you are both trying to achieve the same goal. If you want to exercise more, for example, you might both agree to do a workout three times a week.
Being accountable to somebody else and having another person to support you and motivate you can make you more likely to stick to your new routine.
Read on to learn how the amazing accountability buddy technique works.
The right incentive can help changes stick
When you are trying to develop a new pattern of behaviour, you need to break a routine that is established in your brain.
This is difficult because habits and behaviours are governed by a specific process, and they are largely automatic. First, there is a cue, which encourages your brain to go into automatic mode. Then, there is a physical, mental, or emotional routine that kicks in as soon as your brain sees the cue.
For example, you might aim to exercise after work each day, instead of going home and watching TV as you normally do.
In this case, finishing work and going home is the cue. You then automatically start the routine of sitting down in front of the TV and breaking that cycle to go to the gym instead feels very difficult.
The final stage of the process is the reward. This could be an emotional or physical reward which tells your brain that the routine you just went through is a good thing and it should automatically do it again in the future.
For instance, the entertainment you derive from watching TV is a reward.
Often, the key to making positive changes is ensuring that you still get this feeling of “reward” when you switch the routine.
This is why incentives are so crucial. When you have a clear benefit or reward, your brain associates the new routine with it, making it easier to rewrite the pattern of behaviour.
Making yourself accountable to somebody else and having their support in whatever changes you are trying to make can be a powerful incentive.
This is because, when you work with an accountability buddy, you create a social expectation between the two of you.
The power of social expectation helps you make positive changes
Research shows that accountability is incredibly valuable when trying to change your behaviour. According to Observer, a study found that people had a 65% chance of completing a goal if they committed to somebody else.
When you break your resolution, you may feel that you are letting down others, as well as yourself. This can make you less likely to break a new habit. Conversely, when you are successful, you may feel more sense of accomplishment if you are doing it for other people too, so you have an extra incentive.
An experienced mentor can help you overcome hurdles
In some cases, an accountability buddy might take on the role of a mentor, particularly if they are more experienced than you in a specific area.
For example, if you take on new professional challenges, it might be useful to have a more senior colleague who can guide you. Alternatively, if you are trying to improve your diet, a friend or family member who is good at cooking could make a great accountability buddy.
How to choose the perfect accountability buddy
Finding an accountability buddy can make it far easier to make positive changes in the long term. However, it’s important that you choose the right person. These are some of the main qualities to look for:
1. Somebody who shares your goals
This may seem obvious, but it’s important to find somebody who is equally passionate about the goal you aim to achieve.
In some cases, if you ask a friend or family member to be an accountability buddy, they may say yes because they want to support you. Yet, they might not be as enthusiastic as you about your chosen resolution.
This could make them more likely to break the promise, so you will typically find more success if you pick an accountability buddy who is as serious as you are about making a change.
2. Somebody reliable
Reliability is another crucial trait to look for in an accountability buddy. When choosing somebody, consider whether they normally follow through with their commitments and put time into personal development.
If you partner with a person who consistently breaks their promises or forgets to keep appointments, they might not be very good at holding you accountable.
3. Somebody with the same communication style
A good accountability buddy is somebody who communicates with you in a way that you find useful. For instance, you might want somebody who is constantly trying to motivate you and takes a tough stance when you fail to meet your goals.
However, some people don’t respond to this, and you may find it more beneficial to work with somebody who is gentler in their approach. That’s why you may want to consider your ideal communication style and find an accountability buddy who shares it.
Get in touch
If you want to make positive changes to the way that you manage your wealth, we can act as your accountability buddy and offer you the support you need.
Email hello@fcadvice.co.uk or call 0333 241 9900 to get started.
Please note
This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
