Accountability Could Be a Major Key to Achieving Your Dreams

by Joyce Dunaway @DunawayJoyce

When you’re your own boss, it’s often tempting to allow distractions to keep you from meeting your goals and deadlines. Having an accountability partner could help keep you on track. This person could help you refocus on your dreams

Participating in a writing critique group or choosing a mentor are other options to help you achieve your goals.

Here are some suggestions for choosing an accountability partner, a critique group, or a mentor:

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Qualifications for an Accountability Partner:

• A person you trust
• Someone who has an encouraging attitude—not someone who puts you down
• A friend or colleague who would gently remind you of your goals when you falter
• Someone with the ability to provide constructive criticism

Critique Group Guidelines:

• Choose a group that has goals similar to yours.
• Make sure the group has members that include your genre—a poets’ group would not be beneficial if you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. Most groups combine several genres.
• Many groups use the sandwich method—constructive suggestions sandwiched between praise and encouragement.
• It’s also helpful if some members have achieved a higher level than you so they can guide you in the right direction.

Qualifications and Purposes of a Mentor:

• A mentor is someone who has achieved success in your field.
• If your mentor is a published author, she can make suggestions on plotting, character development, and prose.
• Your mentor could advise you on ways to improve your manuscript, teach you how to present your work to agents and editors, and suggest conferences that would best fit your needs.

Benefits of Working with Accountability Partners, Critique Groups, or Mentors:

• Encouragement to continue the pursuit of your dreams
• Feedback of ways to improve
• New friends who have similar interests
• Improved confidence in your ability to achieve success

I would love to hear how you have benefited from others’ expertise or some suggestions for choosing people to help further the pursuit of your dreams. Please leave your comments in the space provided.

•   Tagged: Accountability Could Be a Major Key to Achieving Your Dreams, Dare to Dream, Following Your Dreams, Joyce Dunaway