Forbes and a number of other blogs and websites online say that if someone holds you accountable (i.e. you share your goals with someone else and then regularly communicate with them, share your progress, etc.), you are many times more likely to achieve your goals than if you only set goals for yourself.

They 'all' refer to a study by the American Society for Training and Development (ATD) and cite the following probabilities:

The probability of achieving a goal is...

👉🏽 You have an idea or a goal: 10%

👉🏽 You consciously decide to do it: 25%

👉🏽 You decide when you will do it: 40%

👉🏽 You plan how you will do it: 50%

👉🏽 You commit to someone to do it: 65%

👉🏽 You have a specific accountability appointment with a person to whom you have committed yourself: 95%

Sweet, so it's that simple?

What I found surprising was that none of the articles that referenced the research included the actual source, i.e., the link to the study. So I asked ATD directly if and where this study could be found.

The response from the Associate Director of Research was not long in coming. He wrote:

"Hello Thomas,

Thank you for contacting us about this study.

Unfortunately, this study has been mistakenly attributed to the ATD (ASTD) over the years. We don't know who conducted the study or where the data originally came from.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Thank you, Rocki"

You can probably imagine that I had to laugh out loud when I read that. Does that mean that accountability groups don't work or are less effective just because the research doesn't exist, or at least not at ATD? Of course not.

Does this mean we like to simply believe things without checking them? Maybe? Probably.

And why am I sharing this with you?

Well, I found that at least three good things for life can be derived from this. On an external level, perhaps the following three rules:

• 1. Don’t believe everything you read.
• 2. Make your own experiences and follow what helps you.
• 3. Ask if you are unsure.

And then there's the 'inner level,' where we innocently believe our own thoughts. These are often "self-destructive beliefs" that stress us out, strain us, and block our effortless being and creation.

Examples include:

• I'm not good enough - I need to prepare more - It has to be perfect
• I can't do this - I'll never be able to do this - I should be further along -
• Others are better than me - I need to find my purpose - I don't deserve this success. - I'll soon be exposed. - I was just lucky.
• I'm not smart enough. - I have to be perfect. - I don't belong here. - I'm not qualified. - Others will see my mistakes.
• I can't fail. I have to have an answer.
• I don't have enough money - I need more money - If I have less money, I am less - My worth depends on my bank balance... etc.

A longer List of 111 common stressful beliefs I'll link it. In my experience, this can help develop awareness of one's own stressful beliefs, which is a good start to 'dissolving' them.

On the 'inner level,' where we innocently believe our own thoughts, the three 'rules' above can, in my view, be adapted and applied. Perhaps something like this:

• 1. Don’t believe everything you think (especially what feels limiting and stressful)
• 2. Discover your own truth and follow what helps you and feels authentic, inspired and true to you
• 3. Ask your 'higher self' when you are stressed, insecure or blocked

By the way... Even though ATD apparently hasn't conducted a study on the effectiveness of accountability groups, I'm very certain of their impact from my own experience. A group that supports each other in achieving their goals and keeps each other accountable is, in my experience, very powerful and has become an integral part of my coaching and mentoring sessions. Whether they work for you is best determined by yourself.

Last but not least... If you are looking for a good introduction and some inspiration for your inner work in 2024, I am linking my free video training from the YouTube channel "From survival mode, self-doubt & lack to your abundance & creator-genius zone."