A once motivated client went into hibernation.

She did not take action on the plan I gave her, for months.

As part of one of the intermittent check-ins, I asked her if there was any problem?

She told me that she could not implement the plan I gave her because she is not self-driven.

She wanted someone to collaborate with, to get going.

I hear her.

Most people are not self-driven.

They need someone to hold them accountable and work with them.

That’s why being a solo entrepreneur is tough.

Because you have no one to discuss stuff with or no one to tell you to keep going when going is tough or to give you a hand when you need one.

If you find yourself in such a situation, invest in a coach as soon as possible. 

Get a coach who you can lean on for advice, and more importantly, to discuss when things don’t work out.

And when the time comes to grow in skills, to complement this, don’t join any course, but one that gives you an accountability partner.

This way, you’ll not have to work in a silo all the time, and you’ll have someone as a sounding board as you learn.

Where to find an accountability partner?

Post on the social networks you are on, like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. List what you are trying to achieve and ask if someone who is on similar wants to be your accountability partner.

Find one among your colleagues.

Many professionals want to keep their growth plans secret as my client. If that’s the case with you, explore other options.

Try apps like Supporti, Focusmate, and GetMotivatedBuddies. All these are built around the idea of virtual coworking and incorporate many scientific principles.

One word of caution – when you think you’ve found your accountability partner, don’t go all in. 

First, talk to them and get to know them. Give the other person a chance to get to know you. If you think both of you are after the same goals, and see a win-win outcome, go ahead with it.