Want to know how successful people hit their goals time and time again? They have a secret weapon in their arsenal, accountability. When it comes to creating success in your life, being accountable to someone other than yourself is a real motivator.

Here are 5 ways you can use accountability for motivation to achieve your goals:

1. Know your integrity is on the Line

Do you want to be known as the person who never keeps their word? DWYSYWD, is a well known anagram to remind you that it is critical for you to do what you say you will do when it comes to achieving your goals. Be accountable to yourself first and foremost. If you have no intention of following through with what you say then why even say it? Your word is one of the most important things you have so use it to keep you in check and on track to achieve your goals.

“Accountability breeds response-ability”. – Stephen Covey

2. Group accountability or partnerships

Joining a support group to help you reach your goals can make you feel like you are part of a team and not just out there on your own. Groups can be found easily online and many social media platforms have groups you can join for free. Paid groups are also common and depending on the size of your goal, they could be a worthwhile investment in yourself. When joining a group, ask to trial it initially to make sure that it is a good fit for you and that it will provide the support and accountability features that you need. Never be afraid to walk away from something if it’s not working out for you. There are plenty more options that will be a better match.

3. Fear of failure when goals are made public

Making your goals public can encourage you to stay on track and not give up when things get hard. Just knowing that there are people waiting for you to fail can be a huge motivator to push through and enjoy the victory for all to see. Knowing that people are supporting you and backing you 100% of the way is also a powerful motivator. When you make your intentions public you will find that you receive a combination of responses so use both to fuel your desire to succeed.

“Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player”. – Bill Gates

4. Accountability coaches

Coaches are available for just about any area of your life that you could need them. Today many people offer online accountability coaching as well as face to face sessions to keep you on track to reach your personal targets. Prices vary from free to thousands of dollars, depending on the nature of the coaching you require and the expertise of the coach you employ. Make sure that the accountability coach you choose will not tolerate excuses and fail to call you out when you are not following through. You need to find someone that is impartial and focused on getting you to where you want to be, not someone to be your new best friend.

5. Goal setting tools and apps

There are tons of goal setting programs and task management tools on the market to help you set, track and achieve your goals. Wunderlist, Todoist, StickK and Goals on Track are just a few of the free or low cost tools you can use to keep yourself accountable.  A good old fashioned chart on the wall can also be just as effective and much harder to ignore. You can even buy huge wall size post-it notes these days so you can stick them up just about anywhere. Whether you are into the latest technology or prefer simple tools, having your goals and your progression in a place that is visible to you each day will make you aware of how much progress, or lack of progress, that you have made towards achieving your goals. If you can have it somewhere that other people can see it, this can make you feel accountable to them even if you have not directly asked them to provide this support.

Accountability is a great motivator for you to stay on the right track to completing your goals. Most people are uncomfortable making up stories, lies and excuses and having someone to be accountable to is a way to ensure they are being honest with themselves as well as the person they are accountable to.

You’ve been given the tools and now it’s up to you to use it. Pick one of the above as a starting point and take action to incorporate it into your goal achievement strategy today.