Not Having This One Thing Could Be Preventing You From Reaching Your Health Goals

As the new year unfolds, you’ve likely joined the ranks of those setting health goals, aiming to elevate your well-being in 2025. It’s an opportune moment to reflect on your progress: are the objectives you’ve established for this year building upon the foundations of last year’s achievements, or are they simply a recommitment to the goals from 2024 that remain unmet?

Last year, your ambitions might have included cutting down on processed foods, replacing soda with sparkling water, adding superfoods to your meals, or exploring a sober lifestyle. Yet, as December arrived, you may have noticed minimal or no progress toward these goals, leaving you questioning where things went astray.

If this scenario resonates with you, it’s crucial not to simply reestablish identical goals for 2025, hoping that sheer effort will bridge the gap. Here’s what to do instead.

The One Thing Missing from Your Goal Setting Process

If you failed at reaching your health goals last year, it could be because you failed to incorporate this one key thing into your goal setting process…accountability.

Accountability entails so much more than just finding a friend that you might check in with occasionally. True accountability, at its root, is “a commitment or readiness to accept responsibility and to account for one’s actions.” It’s a push that takes you from complacency into action, because you’re ready and willing to be responsible for your prior lack of action, and ready and willing to change it.

So how do you successfully incorporate accountability into your mission and goal-setting process? First, you’ll need an accountability strategy.

Two Types of Accountability Strategies

There are two general types of accountability strategies: using an internal force and using an external force, with one often proving more effective than the other.

Relying on an internal force means that you, and only you, are responsible for keeping yourself on track. This approach demands a significant amount of willpower, as you’re tasked with independently achieving your goals.

However, if your goals for last year fell by the wayside, it’s a sign that internal force accountability may not be your best bet. While there’s no shame in recognizing that self-discipline alone didn’t suffice, it might be time to pivot to the alternative strategy for this year: leveraging external forces.

An external force strategy involves enlisting help from outside sources to maintain accountability. These external influences can take various shapes to support your journey.

Consider utilizing a goal setting app to help guide you toward your objectives. Alternatively, you might partner with a dependable accountability buddy. Yet, the most profound outcomes are often achieved through professional personalized support in the form of a coach.

The Best Way to Hold Yourself Accountable to Your Goals

A coach’s guidance offers unparalleled accountability, making it the best form of external accountability. By hiring a coach, you’re investing in someone whose primary role is to ensure you achieve your goals. Unlike friends or family, a coach is professionally committed to your success, providing consistent check-ins and feedback.

This professional relationship creates a sense of obligation, as failing to meet your goals means not only letting yourself down but also wasting your investment in coaching. Coaches are equipped with strategies to help you overcome obstacles and instill habits that promote self-accountability.

The Bottom Line

Without accountability, you likely won’t achieve your health goals — and if you’re relying on internal accountability, you may want to rethink your methods. Internal accountability requires substantial willpower and, if you struggle with reaching your goals overall, you likely don’t have the willpower necessary to reach your new goals on your own. Health coaching offers a solution to this dilemma, providing the external support needed to bridge the willpower gap. Get started with a complimentary call to learn more.

For additional support setting and achieving your health goals this year, join us for our annual Goal Setting Workshop on January 14th at 6 PM EST.