Find Your Accountability and Visioning Team

visioning and accountability team
It takes courage, strength, hope, and help to make your Big Dreams come true

The Big Dream is hard to achieve when you don’t have anyone but yourself to rely on. You need strength, talent, and motivation to fulfill your desires, but self-will can only get you so far.  If you want to be successful in realizing your Big Dream, you better have a few key people in your corner.

Just watch an Oscar speech and you’ll get an idea of just how many people it takes to make one person reach their Big Dream. Friends, family, colleagues, technology crews, and even wardrobe people become essential in making something as simple as acting work.

Who will you need to rely on to make your Big Dream come to fruition? Are you strong enough to ask for help? Who can you trust to give you honest feedback and keep you on point? Because let’s face it, the road to success is too difficult to navigate on your own. There are twists in the road, surprising perils, and unforeseen challenges on the way to The Big Dream.

You need help.

You need advice.

You need directions.

What you need is an accountability team.

Accountability team
An accountability team might be small (one person might be all you really need) or comprehensive (a handful of friends and colleagues who you trust), and be available to you for advice, perspective, mentoring, and  guidance. The quantity of helpers isn’t nearly important as the quality of the people, because these individuals will demand that you stay true to your word and deliver on your promises. They must be strong-willed folk who won’t be distracted by excuses and will call your bluff. Your accountability team must be trust worthy, true to their word, and able to offer insightful advice that will push you to go further than you thought you could.

If you think you might want or need an accountability team, the first step is to identify The Big Dream. Got it? Great. Next up, decide if you are ready to make the commitment to support someone else on their road to success. If you can’t give 100 per cent to someone else, then there’s no expecting someone to give the same to you. Accountability teams only work if both parties are willing to put in the hard work. Are you prepared to show up prepared, ready, and excited every time you make an accountability date?  Are you prepared to be accountable for the things you say you’re going to do?

Reaching out to others to ask for help and guidance isn’t always an easy thing to do. You’ll have to be vulnerable. You’ll need to have trust or faith in the people you turn to. You’ll have to be willing to take advice. You’ll need to share secrets or  personal information. You’ll have to be humble enough to accept critical suggestions and feedback. You’ll have to give credit to others for their help.

visioning accountability coaching
It's a big, open road on the path to The Big Dream

Accountable Accountability

Back in June, I went on a blogging trip to New Orleans. During my time there I met lots of great people, including one very special person in particular. That person was Maggy Keet, the lovely and effervescent woman who is part of the team behind the Big Summer Potluck and is a one-third contributor to her family’s website, Three Many Cooks. Maggy is, if you’ve never met her, like the holy grail of goodness. She just overflows with excitement, drive, and talent.

While riding a tour bus to a distant oyster farm, Maggy and I got to talking about our Big Dreams. She shared her vision for the non-profit organization, Bloggers without Borders. I spoke about a newly formed idea for a big event dedicated to the topic of living a life of service.  We shared with each other plenty of insights and inspiration in just the time it took to reach that oyster farm. While other people were napping, we were spit-balling concepts and plans with lightening speed. I couldn’t keep my pen moving fast enough to take notes in my notebook.

It wasn’t long before Maggy leaned in real close and said, “Do you want to be my accountability buddy?”

Her excitement and commitment took my breath away. Never had I met someone with such drive and passion this eager to take part in the visioning process of building The Big Dream. The girl was full of ideas I could use.

Before we left NOLA, the two of us exchanged numbers and set a date to talk about our goals and the work ahead of us. I marked my calendar and crossed my fingers in hopes that my new partner in dream-building would be as accountable as she said she’d be.

I’m here to tell you folks, that Maggy Keet is all that and more. Together, we’re making our dreams come true in two-week accountability dates at a time.

visioning partner accountability team

Maggy’s POV

I jokingly call Brooke my accountability buddy, which I have shortened to ‘accountabili-buddy.’ But the truth is, she’s so much more. She doesn’t just hold me accountable. She is helping me to find my path. And I’d like to think that I’m doing the same for her.

My relationship with Brooke is now one of the most important in my life.

These bi-weekly calls have helped to get me out of my own head. One of the biggest steps towards unearthing my dream is to verbalize long terms goals and the short term tasks that will get me there. Brooke holds me accountable to all that, keeps me focused and on track and offers valuable insights.  And if when my non-profit becomes a success, I will owe a great deal to Brooke for her support and guidance through this process.

What I’m saying is this: we all have dreams. Some people live their dream from the start. But for most of us these dreams get buried under the layers of ash and rock that life keeps piling on.

I struggled with this Big Dream of mine for a long time and this is the first thing that has truly worked and kept me moving toward my goal. So find someone to work with. Find your Brooke. Preferably someone who also has a goal. And work together.

Do you have a big project that you need an accountability partner on?

Where have you found your visioning partners?

24 Replies to “Find Your Accountability and Visioning Team”

  1. Long time lurker, first time commenter. Wow. WOW! What a motivating and kick-ass post! This is just what I needed to read to kick the end of my week into high gear! My accountability is absolutely my sister – she gives it to me straight and never lets me slack. I love her for it!

  2. Well, I think I’ve already said my piece! But I wanted to add “Thank you, Brooke!” and I hope that someone else finds their accountabili-buddy as a result of this post because our relationship has changed my life. XO

  3. So many of us are willing to give the shirt off our back, but when it comes to asking for help we cower in corner. Being a military wife has taught me to stick my neck out and ask for help when I need it.

    My accountability partner is my husband. He is clear headed and sensible when my head is in the clouds. I’m so glad you’ve found Maggy (I’ve only heard the best things about her!). We all need someone to help us along and keep us on the right path.

    Insightful post, as always!! xoxo

    1. Carrie,
      I think it’s beautiful that your husband is your accountability partner. His strength and vision for what living a life of service is about must be incredibly insightful. What a blessing!
      B

  4. I agree with Allison, I so agree. I love this and thank you so much for sharing this with us. The wheels are churning in my head.

  5. This is a timely post for me. I’m starting up a mastermind group with some Twitter friends, and I just got my assignment for another mastermind group within a business coaching program I’m part of. However, as a health and wellness coach, I *am* my clients’ accountability buddy (and I regularly send emails with “Accountabilibuddy” as the subject line…).

    Having support is so important to achieving your goals and dreams. I can just see you two, heads together, dreaming big on the way to the oyster farm!

    1. Stacy,
      I’m intrigued! I love that you’re a health and wellness coach! What’s the business coaching program you’re involved in?
      Brooke

  6. thank you, maggie and brooke! i woke up this morning feeling stuck, sad and stalemated and not knowing how to proceed out of that place. you’ve given me incentive to try to find a way and partner for the journey. hurray!

  7. As my head is thick with lots of emotions right now I am so happy to have many wonderful people to turn to in my life. Accountability is key to survival and success. While you gals were discussing lifes journey and launching spit balling concepts I was sleeping in the front seat of our tour bus. Dreaming BIG 🙂 Love you both!

  8. I really like this idea, Brooke. I already have point people in my life whose opinions I value but I’ve never thought about the accountability partner to help me get to that next level. Thanks for the post!

    1. Aida,
      It’s all about accountability partners. Or Cookbook deadlines. 🙂 Whatever makes you work past the point of what’s comfortable!

  9. I really believe that if we give a voice to our dreams they become attainable – I think you should shorten it more to your AB!

  10. I read this post the other day and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Without even labeling it, I found my accountability partner a few months back. She and I would take long walks, talk about our dreams, our strengths, and our vision. And through our walks and talks I have made her my new partner in Big Mouth LA. She and I inspire each other, daily. You inspire me, Brooke. From the first time we spoke, heart to heart, I knew you were bound for wonderful things. You are clear on what your vision is, your perspective is unique, honest, and authentic and I know you believe in doing the right thing. I met Maggie once, at BHF10, and I was immediately attracted to her. I am glad you found each other….your partnership and friendship is going to inspire more of those around you then you can possibly imagine!

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