What I’m suggesting is that we seek out and cultivate a healthy relationship with someone who is on the path of becoming the best version of himself. When a relationship like that is safe and commensurate and both parties agree to hold each other accountable for the process of personal growth, huge advancement can be made.
For some of us, this person may be our spouse. They can tell us if we are being too hard or too easy-going with our responses to self-evaluation questions. However, having this relationship with our spouse isn’t always a good idea because sometimes it is very tempting to be overly critical of a spouse.
There may be a friend or partner or teammate who could be this accountability partner for you. As you cultivate this relationship with your accountability partner, keep in mind that you will also have the opportunity to hold him accountable and to ask tough questions.
Remember that your input can profoundly affect his life. Do your very best to leave your accountability partner better than you found him.
Sometimes there is not a readily apparent accountability partner in our lives. In that case, we may need to find a life coach or a counselor.
As valuable as this is, I’m always cautious when finding mentors or accountability partners in my life. When I am truly transparent with a person, I am vulnerable. If I choose a mentor poorly, he could quite easily do me severe harm, even if he has good intentions.
“Every person is a package.” Every person has his own weaknesses and perspectives and insecurities. We are all human, and so we are all flawed. Keeping that in mind, it is certainly possible for you to find a person who is aligned with your beliefs about life and about personal development. As long as you don’t set this person up to be the one who defines you and gives you the answers to all of your problems, an accountability relationship can be extremely beneficial.
The path to becoming our best selves is one that is lined with safe, healthy, life-giving relationships. It is not a path we are meant to walk alone.
- Exercise:
What person or people in your life are potential accountability partners or mentors?
Are you willing to pursue an accountability relationship with them?
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