How to Find an Accountability Partner
Goals you keep to yourself are easy to quietly drop. Telling one person, and checking in regularly, changes that.
To find an accountability partner, choose someone who is reliable, honest and working toward something themselves, such as a colleague, friend or peer in your field. Agree on what you are each working on, how often you will check in, what you will share and how direct you want the other person to be. Keep check-ins short and regular, celebrate progress and be honest when you slip.
Many of the goals people quietly give up on were never shared with anyone. When nobody else knows, it is easy to let a commitment slide. Telling one person changes the equation. Suddenly someone is going to ask how it went.
I tell audiences to talk with people about what they want to achieve and with people who have already done it. Doing that regularly with one person is what an accountability partner is.
Choose the right person
A good accountability partner is reliable, honest and supportive, and ideally working toward something of their own so the relationship goes both ways. A colleague, friend, mentor or peer in your industry can all work well. Choose someone who will tell you the truth kindly, not just cheer you on.
How to set up an accountability partnership
- Pick someone reliable and honest. Supportive, not just agreeable.
- Share specific goals. What you are working on and by when.
- Set a rhythm. A short weekly or biweekly check-in.
- Agree on directness. How hard should they push?
- Celebrate progress. And be honest when you slip.
Set clear expectations
Agree on what each of you is working on, how often you will check in, and how direct you want the other person to be. Some people want a gentle reminder. Others want someone to ask hard questions. Saying it up front avoids awkwardness later.
Keep it short and regular
A fifteen-minute call or a few text messages each week is often enough. Share what you did, what got in the way and what you will do next. Celebrate the wins, and be honest about the misses. The point is not judgment. It is a reason to keep going.
Becoming more is the theme of my signature keynote, You Are Capable of More. See also How to Recommit to Your Goals and How to Set Goals and Actually Keep Them.
Goals you share are harder to drop. Choose a reliable, honest partner, share specific goals, set a short regular check-in, agree on how direct they should be, celebrate progress and be honest about slips.
Frequently asked questions
What is an accountability partner?
How do you choose an accountability partner?
How often should accountability partners check in?
Do accountability partners really help?
You Are Capable of More
A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. The bestselling book behind Chris’s keynotes and the 2026 Paris Book Festival winner in the How-To category. Many teams hand a copy to every seller at their kickoff.
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